Ransom
by kisukebenihime
Summary: The Akatsuki need money; the bounties just aren't enough and Midori may be the answer they've been looking for. But what happens when she and Hidan spend some time together? HidanXOC, OOc moments.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Hithere...this is my first fic for this site, so go easy on me. Ummm...a few things before you start reading. (1) This is a Hidan love story, if you don't like it, don't read it. (2) There are some 'out-of-character'/OOC moments throughout the story so bare with me. (3) It does follow the OC closer than Hidan but when they're together, you'll see why.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or any of it's characters.

**Summary: **The Akatsuki need money; the bounties aren't cutting it anymore and Midori may be the answer they've been looking for. But what happens when she and Hidan start spending more time together? Will he be able to let her go? Will she return to her father and the arramged marriage he ste for her. HidanXOC.

Unexpected Encounter

It was dark, damp and drearier in the abandoned hospital. A place which once helped people now served as an exchange point; bodies going in, money coming out. That's how it worked. Hidan and Kakuzu walked down the dusty halls, another bounty needed to be collected for the Akatsuki, ten million Ryu for this one.

It smelled; everything about this place smelled bad to Hidan. Urine, cleaner, you name it and Hidan could smell it. It's bad enough that he could smell, at this point Hidan could pretty much taste the stench in the halls and it seemed to be getting worse.

"God, this place reeks. Do we really have to use this fucking shit-hole for an exchange point?" Hidan complained as they stopped at a beaten and broken door.

"Just shut the fuck up and wait…this'll be over soon." Kakuzu said as he pushed the door open and stepped inside. Hidan followed suit, bowing his head in disgust.

Kakuzu laid the body on the table and fixed his gaze on the man standing in the corner.

"Tsk, screw this shit!" Hidan spat.

"Just where the hell do you think you're going, Hidan? I still need to count the money, jackass." Kakuzu called from around the corner.

"I need fresh air; this place stinks to high hell. You can count the fucking money." Hidan said as he pushed the broken door open and stepped into a dark, dank hall.

"Fucking pretty boy…" Kakuzu said when the door closed. "I hope he remembers to use his disguise."

Midori walked alongside her bodyguard, watching as the people pass by. The afternoon sun was warm against her creamy skin, shining brightly on her honey-blonde hair.

"Takeshi, what's it like…to be a ninja I mean?" she asked as they journeyed farther from the compound. As the first born to the Daimyo, Midori had to be watched at all times and Takeshi was appointed this task at her birth. The tall man sighed; his pale green eyes looked at her in question.

"What would you like to know, Lady Midori?" he asked.

Midori smiled up at him, brown eyes shining with mischief. "Everything, naturally." She answered with a laugh. Takeshi was use to her little game but found him self playing along. He cared for her as if she was his daughter and she looked to him for fatherly advice when her father was too busy.

"The life of a shinobi is very dangerous. Each shinobi must train to protect their village and their loved ones. In my case, I have been chosen to protect you and your father." He said as they rounded the bend.

"Training, what kind of training?" she asked as her pace slowed. But Takeshi never answered; instead he positioned himself in front of Midori. Sitting on the steps of the abandoned hospital was a man with white hair that was slicked back. He wore a blue robe that stopped just below his knees and in his left hand was a huge three bladed scythe.

Hidan sat outside for twenty minuets and still, there was no sign of Kakuzu. He was tired, sore and he could still smell the horrible stench.

"Aw fuck! It's soaked into my clothes. Shit, now I'm going to smell this shit until we get back." He spat as he fiddled with his cloak. That's when he heard voices coming toward his direction. He turned to see how was coming and took a deep breath.

He saw the girl first. She was about twenty-two years old, standing around 5'6. She had dark blonde hair that was pulled back in a braid and creamy white skin. The girl was too far away to make out much else, but from the fancy kimono she wore, Hidan could tell that she was rich.

'_Heh, Kakuzu would have a field day with her.'_ He thought then a man stepped in front of her. The man was much taller, about 6' 7 and built like a brick house. He had black hair that he wore in a long pony tail. "Figures, every woman I've met have a man to back them up."

"Lady Midori, head back to the compound, I'll follow shortly." The man said as he looked over his shoulder. Midori nodded and started to back up.

"Please be careful, Takeshi." Midori said then turned and ran. Takeshi turned his attention back to Hidan, who was now standing on the steps to get a better look at the girl.

"What's your business here?" Takeshi asked the glare he gave Hidan told him that he meant business.

"Just passing through, I'm on my way home." Hidan lied as he turned his attention to Takeshi. Kakuzu stopped at the door, listening to his partner and the stranger talk.

Takeshi didn't trust the white-haired man at all. Something about him was off…like the giant scythe he carried.

"Then get a move on. The hospital is no place to rest, especially when it's going to be demolished later." Takeshi snapped. Hidan wanted to laugh at the man, still trying to protect the girl and she wasn't even there anymore.

"Fine, fine, I'm going." He said as he turned to walk away. Kakuzu didn't move as he watched Hidan walk in the opposite direction of the stranger, which he found to be rather odd. Normally, if someone tried to tell Hidan what to do, they'd be dead by now; sacrificed to Jashin-sama. But Hidan clearly had no interest in the stranger.

'_What the fuck are you thinking, Hidan? What's going on out there?' _Kakuzu thought as he waited to step outside. The stranger didn't leave right away, as if waiting for Hidan to be clear of the building. Then just like that, Kakuzu couldn't sense the stranger's chakra anymore. He opened the door and stepped into the blinding afternoon light. "Oi, Hidan, what's going on out here?"

"I think I've found something of interest, a girl and she looks rich."

Midori reached the compound and immediately went in search of her father. Panting heavily and scared, Midori ran through the main house, whipping past servants.

"Father, father, come quickly!" she shouted as she ran towards his office. Two men rushed out of the office; one being her father and the other was her arranged fiancée.

The taller of the two was her father. He had short brown hair, brown eyes and a scar on his right cheek. He was a great man and even served in the Ninja War. The other man was about an inch taller than Midori with long blonde hair and green eyes. He was the perfect gentleman.

"Midori, what's the matter?" her father questioned as she rushed toward him. Midori collided with her father and hugged him fiercely. She looked up at him with tear filled eyes.

"Takeshi and I went for a walk; there was a scary man at the old hospital. Takeshi told me to run…I think something happened to Takeshi." Midori cried.

"I'll send my men to look for him, Lady Midori. I'm sure he's fine." Her fiancée spoke, his tone was soothing and gentle.

Midori looked at him and smiled through her tears. "Thank you Akira."

"There's no need for that, I'm fine." Takeshi said from down the hall. Midori looked in his direction and ran towards him.

"Oh thank goodness, you're alright. I was so scared something happened to you." Midori said as she hugged him.

"Everything's going to be fine, I scared him off." Takeshi assured her as he hugged her back. They stayed like that for a moment until Akira cleared his throat.

"I have to get to my lessons now, maybe later we can finish our walk." Midori said to Takeshi, who nodded and let her walk away.

"Please, Takeshi-san, tell us what happened while you were gone." The Daimyo said as he and Akira walked towards him. Takeshi nodded and began to recount the experience just minutes ago.

Hidan and Kakuzu walked through the base with a briefcase full of money. Hidan and Kakuzu talked very little about the events of that day, only that the girl looked rich which put dollar signs in Kakuzu's eyes.

"Do you think we should tell Leader-sama about the girl?" Hidan asked as the turned the corner.

"It wouldn't hurt. And if she is rich…look; we need money to fund our missions. The ten million we just collected will be gone by the months end, we can at least spy on her and find out if she's loaded or not." Kakuzu answered. Both men stopped walking and readied themselves to meet with the leader. Hidan reached up and knocked on the door.

"Enter." A dark voice said from the other side. Kakuzu walked in first then Hidan, closing the door behind them. Leader-sama wasn't alone. Kisame and Itachi were with him but they were dismissed when Leader-sama laid eyes on the briefcase. "How much was this one?" Leader-sama asked when Kisame and Itachi left.

"Ten million Ryu," Kakuzu answered as he set the metal case on leader's desk. "We found something interesting while we were collecting this bounty."

Leader looked up from the case to his two subordinates. "And what might this something be?" he asked. Kakuzu looked to Hidan as did the leader.

"A girl, she looks rich to me. Kakuzu thinks so too." Hidan answered as Kakuzu nodded. "With your permission, we'd like to check her out to see if it's worth the hassle." Leader was nodding at the request.

"You leave immediately, find out what you can. If it turns out to be true, bring her to me. Though I don't like ransom, we can't afford to pass this up." Leader said with a strong nod. Hidan and Kakuzu bowed and left Leader's office.


	2. Chapter 2

Caught and Kidnapped

Hidan sat by the window of the motel room that Kakuzu rented for the week, just staring at the moon when he felt the urge to get up and move.

"Hey Kakuzu, I'm going out. Don't wait up." Hidan said as he stood.

"Change your close before you go, we don't know if that guy is going to show up again." Kakuzu countered as he counted the remaining money for their mission.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll change my clothes, dammit." Hidan spat as he walked to the bathroom and changed. "Alright, I'll be back later." He said when he emerged moments later. Hidan closed the door behind him and walked down the moon-lit streets.

After an hour of just walking, Hidan decided that it was time to head back, but there was one little problem….he was lost. Though he wasn't satisfied by his walk, it did make him tired and now he had to find his way back.

"Shit, just my fucking luck. I get fucking lost right when I get tired." Hidan growled, storming down another road. He heard a somewhat familiar voice as he passed a large fence. It was a woman's voice and it sounded like she was either humming or singing on the other side. Wanting to know who it was, Hidan scaled a nearby tree and poked his head over the high fence.

There she was, the same girl from earlier. She wasn't in the kimono anymore but her nightgown and robe. She looked even more beautiful up close then he remembered from earlier. The girl sat on a stone bench watching the koy swim around in the small pond while she hummed a simple tune. Hidan moved to a higher branch to get a better look when a man walked out of the house, different from the man Hidan saw that afternoon.

Midori couldn't sleep, there was too much on her mind. Everything seemed to wait until she was ready for bed and then just crept into her mind as she lay trying to sleep. Instead of pushing the thoughts aside, Midori always tried to sort through them thus not being able to sleep tonight. Throwing the blankets to the side, she grabbed her robe and stepped into the hall.

She walked passed her father's room and down the hall. The light in Akira's room was off, so she figured he wouldn't want to be bothered. On that note, Midori walked silently outside into the pale moonlight and sat on the stone bench. For a moment her mind was blank, nothing came to her. So she started to hum a tune her mother used to sing when she was younger. And the thoughts were unleashed.

Everything seemed to flow in order, slowly working them selves out in her mind. That's when Akira came outside.

"Lady Midori, what are you doing out here?" he asked as he walked over to her.

Midori looked up, a little startled that he was there. "Just thinking." She answered with a small smile. Akira sat next to her.

"And what, pray tell, were you thinking about at this ungodly hour?" he asked with a playful smirk.

"Everything, my lessons, our upcoming marriage, the man I saw today, everything." She said with a heavy sigh.

Hidan cocked his head to the side when she mentioned him. She really had his attention now.

"And why would you be thinking of that man, Takeshi scared him off." Akira said as he wrapped his arms around Midori.

"That's the thing, I wasn't afraid of him. Sure he had a huge triple bladed scythe in one hand, but he didn't scare me at all. What scared me was what he would have done to Takeshi if they had fought." Midori said as she looked at her intended.

Akira looked her over, as it trying to figure something out. "You're infatuated with him." He said after a brief pause, sounding more jealous then he intended.

"I am not. Why would you say a thing like that?" she snapped, crossing her arms over her chest as she pulled away from Akira and stood. Midori was angry with him, that comment was uncalled for and he knew it. Akira slowly stood up and stepped towards her.

"My dear, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you." Akira cooed then he did something completely out of character, he kissed her. Midori knew Akira all f her life, and for him to do something like this was just astonishing. But there was so much passion in his actions that she found herself frozen in place.

'_I may vomit…' _Hidan thought as he watched to two, but oddly, he was glad to see Midori push Akira away.

"I…I'm not ready for that yet Akira. I'm sorry, could…could you give me a minute alone please?" she asked, a deep blush crossing her face. He only nodded and walked back into the house without a backward glance. That's when she heard something move in the tree. "Who's there?" she demanded.

Hidan couldn't resist her voice as he hopped down from his perch. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he said with a sneer.

"You're that man from the hospital. What are you doing here?" she asked as she took a step towards him, lowering her voice to a whisper.

Hidan chuckled. "Your boyfriend's right, you do like me." He said with a grin.

"How long have you been there?"

Hidan scratched his chin. "Since you started humming, I guess. Look, I'm lost and tired, I just want to get back to my motel room, so can you help me out?"

"I guess I can…what motel are you staying at?" she asked as Hidan sat down on the bench.

"The Kiamichi Inn, just outside of town." Hidan answered, standing to get directions. Her sent suddenly wafted in his direction, vanilla and coffee beans. Strangely enough, Hidan found it simply enticing.

"You want to head south on this road here until it dead ends, then turn right. Follow that road until you hit the supermarket district about a mile down the road, and it's to the left down the first alley." Midori instructed, pointing in the direction he needed to go. Suddenly, Hidan ducked behind a tree as Akira walked out of the house.

"My Lady, I think it's about time you came inside. As the daughter…"

"I know, I know, as the daughter of the Daimyo, I have responsibilities which include waking up early. I'll be right there." Midori cut in as she turned to face her fiancée. With that, Akira walked back inside to wait.

"Why did you do that?" Hidan asked as he poked his head out from behind the tree.

Midori turned to look at him and shrugged. "I don't have a clue. Maybe I'm just not ready to marry him yet." She responded and Hidan chuckled. He then hopped easily onto the fence and prepared to leave. "Wait, what's your name, shinobi?"

Hidan turned and smiled at her. "I'm Hidan, follower of Jashin-sama, and who might you be?"

"I'm Midori, Midori Takeda." She answered. Hidan nodded and waved.

"See ya' soon, sweetie." And just like that, he was gone.

Dawn struck the window no sooner than Hidan closed his eyes. Or so it seemed. He spent much of his time thinking about Midori and their conversation. Kakuzu was up before Hidan, like normal, and like always, was counting their money when Hidan tossed the covers to the side and sat up.

"I found her last night, she's closer to use than we thought." Hidan said as he stood and stretched his arms.

"You know this for sure?" Kakuzu asked skeptically.

"Yeah, I talked to her. Get this, she's the Daimyo's daughter and she's getting married to some fancy-pants guy named Akira." Hidan chuckled as he turned to his partner.

"I'll believe it when I see it." Kakuzu sneered as he stood and walked to the door. "Let's get going if we're going to find this _Midori _and get out of here."

Let left the room and started looking for Midori.

She yawned long and loud, obviously bored with today's tea ceremony lesson. But Midori paid attention nevertheless. Silently thanking whoever invented makeup, Midori tried not to rub her eyes for fear of the bags under her eyes.

"Alright, we'll take a break for now. We'll pick back up in one hour." Her sensei said as she stood. "My Lady, may I suggest getting more sleep the night before a big lesson such as this." The older lady scolded. Midori nodded and apologized for her rudeness then left the room to find Takeshi. She found him in the kitchen, eating a rice ball and reading a book.

"Hi Takeshi." She chimed when she walked in.

"Midori-chan, what do you want?" Takeshi asked accusingly.

"Nothing much, I just want to walk with you." She said with an innocent smile.

"Ok, let's go."

It was warmer than normal. October was usually cold and bitter, but the sun was shinning, the birds were singing; a perfect day. Or so they thought.

"Kakuzu, that's her right there." Hidan said, pointing to Midori as they walked down the road. The bustling streets had made finding her quit the chore but they found her and her bodyguard in just three hours.

"Easy money," Kakuzu commented as they moved into position.

Midori and Takeshi walked down a less crowded street which turned out to be the biggest mistake of their lives.

"I told you I'd see you soon, didn't I sweetie?" said a voice from above. Midori knew who it was before she looked up to see Hidan sitting on the roof of a building. Takeshi stepped in front of Midori as Hidan hopped off the roof and landed before them. "Allow me to introduce you to my partner, Kakuzu."

It was like watching a horror movie come to life. She turned to see another man just appear out of nowhere.

"Akatsuki," Takeshi hissed as he moved closer to Midori. "Run when I tell you to Midori and don't look back. Keep running until you get home." He said looking back and forth between the two men. But before Takeshi could say anything else, Hidan attacked.

Takeshi ducked, knocking Midori to the ground. She looked up at him, more terrified at the look on his face then the two men attacking them. Takeshi was smiling at her, a peaceful and calm smile.

"Takeshi-san, are you all right?" she asked then realized how stupid it was to ask.

"I want you to count to five then run." He said in a serious tone, despite his smile.

"I'm not leaving you…"

"Do as I say my lady, please." He interrupted. "Don't argue, just go." Midori nodded as tears started to fall down her cheeks. She knew what he was going to do and she didn't want him to.

"One…"

Takeshi slowly stood and helped Midori to her feet.

"Two…"

Hidan began to move closer to them, chuckling like a madman, his eyes looked wild like an animal in a feeding frenzy.

"Three…"

Takeshi began making hand signs, smoke started to bellow from under his feet.

"Four…"

Kakuzu began to circle the two of them, like a predator stalking it's pray.

"FIVE...!"

Midori took off as fast as she could, her sandals kicked off of her feet making her dash home all the faster. There was a loud boom from behind, pitching her off balance but she kept running like she was told. Midori rounded the corner to her house and saw Akira walking in front of her about fifty feet away.

"Akira, Akira help!" she shouted, running as fast as her feet could carry her. Akira turned toward her but stopped.

"Midori, duck now!" but it was too late. Kakuzu grabbed Midori by the braid and tossed her over his shoulder. He took off with her like a bat out of hell, flying across roofs at a blinding pace. The last thing she saw as Kakuzu carried her off was the horrified look on Akira's face.

"Not too rough with her Kakuzu, Leader-sama will have your head if she's hurt." Hidan said as he appeared next to them. But he didn't look like the Hidan she met last night. This Hidan had black skin with white markings on his body like a skeleton. He turned his attention to Midori; his eyes seemed to soften, just a little. "We'll be there shortly, just stay calm and we won't have to knock you out."

"Stop being so fucking nice to her, she's just money in the bank, nothing more." Kakuzu warned.

"Eat a dick, Kakuzu."

Midori's mind couldn't withstand more than that and she passed out just moments later.


	3. Chapter 3

Things aren't so bad…I think

_~Midori's dream~_

_Midori walked alongside Takeshi, talking about her impending marriage when Takeshi mentioned something out of the ordinary._

"_Well, you could always marry someone else if marrying Akira doesn't fit your fancy." He said with a smile._

_Midori shot him a questioning gaze. "What do you mean? Father made it so that Akira would be my husband, and it's not that I don't love Akira…it's just that, I don't think I can trust him anymore; not after last night…" she trailed off not sure of how to explain what was going on in her head. _

"_Did he do something to you? Do I have to break his legs?" he snapped as they stopped walking. Midori looked so confused as she stared at him._

"_Let's not hurt him. I'm sure he didn't mean any harm when he kissed me…" _

"_Whoa, back up! He kissed you?" Takeshi asked. Midori nodded. "Well, tell me about it. I mean, you're like a daughter to me…so, I think I should know."_

"_Well," she started as they began to walk again. "I wasn't really expecting it. One second he's apologizing to me and the next…his lips were on mine. There wasn't enough time to take it all in and enjoy the moment." Midori finished with a frown._

"_And why not," he pressed._

"_I…kind of…pushed him away." Midori said with an impish smile. Takeshi let out a loud roar of laughter, holding his gut as tears streamed down his cheeks. "What's so funny?" she asked as she placed her hands on her hips, glaring daggers at him._

"_You pushed your fiancée away…it's just so…" he was cut off by another wave of laughter. "Oh god, I think I may wet myself." _

"_That's not funny. It was my first kiss and it didn't feel right, so I pushed him away. That's all there is to it." Midori scolded her friend and protector then put her hands over her face. "I'm so confused." She huffed. _

"_What's confusing you Midori? It didn't feel right so you pushed him away; it's that simple." Takeshi said as he regained his composure. _

"_Boys…you'll never understand how complicated a girl's first kiss is." Midori said as she rolled her eyes. _

"_Nah, you're just spoiled is all. You think the world will bend to your will and grant your every request." Takeshi teased._

"_I am not spoiled…I'm sheltered, there's a difference." Midori shot back, her fists clinching at her sides. _

"_I have a theory about your 'problem'." He said as he ushered Midori down the road._

"_And that is?" she questioned, eager to know what her friend had to say._

"_You're scared. You're afraid that you're missing out on what the world has to offer you by marrying Akira. You are afraid to love him as he loves you because you aren't sure if he's the right guy for you because you haven't experienced that kind of love before. Am I right?" Takeshi said as he took her hand. _

_Midori bowed her head. "I guess you're right. I am scared at the fact that I'll be married off next month, but at least I know to whom I'll be handed off to." She said with a tiny smile. "Takeshi, can I ask you something?"_

"_Sure." _

_Midori swallowed the lump in her throat. "If Akira wasn't chosen as my husband, who would I be marrying then?" _

_Takeshi scratched his chin, trying to remember that far back. "I'm not sure but I think it was some kid named Itachi…or something like that." (Itachi was among a long list of possible suitors for Midori but Akira was chosen because he wasn't a ninja.) The pair walked in silence for a moment, letting the information of their conversation sink in. "Hey, do you want ice cream?" he asked as he eyed the young heiress to his right._

"_Yeah, that sounds good, even though it would make Tanaka mad." Midori laughed, thinking about what the family chef would say. _

"_I told you I'd see you soon, didn't I sweetie?" came a voice from above. Everything in Midori's world turned upside-down as she turned her head toward the familiar voice. Everything happened so fast, one second she and her best friend were laughing and the next…she knew he was dead._

"_Takeshi…" she called her tone desperate as she raced home. Suddenly, Akira appeared before her like a beckon of hope. "Akira, Akira help!" She was just meters away when someone grabbed her hair and all she saw was sky for a brief second then everything was black; darker than the night sky._

_~End dream~_

Midori sat up, she was breathing heavily and sweat trickled down her forehead. She had no idea if everything was just a dream or if it really happened but she prayed it was just a nightmare. To her horror, she realized rather quickly that it had happened when she looked around the room only to discover it wasn't hers.

"Good morning my lady, had a bad dream, did we?" a man's voice said. Midori looked around the dark room but didn't see anyone.

"Where am I? Who are you?" she demanded, not liking the situation at all.

"Calm down my lady, you'll find out soon enough. Just relax and don't do anything stupid." The voice said, his tone was very dominate and commanding. Oddly enough, Midori found that she was alone, but was creped out at the fact that now she was hearing a strange man's voice. "I'm sending someone to fetch you now, he'll knock before he enters." The man assured.

"Anyone except Hidan and his friend," Midori hissed and was rewarded with a soft chuckle from the voice.

"Alright then, anyone but them." And just like that, Midori was alone again; not that there was anyone there to begin with. She jumped when a knock sounded at the door to her left.

"C-come in…" she said, terrified beyond all reason at who ever was on the other side but soon relaxed when a very normal looking man open the door. He had long raven hair, onyx eyes and the same cloak that Hidan wore when she was kidnapped.

"Leader-sama set me to get you my lady." The man said with little to nothing of emotion in his voice. And once again, Midori was scared. He stood by the door, waiting for her to follow but she didn't move; paralyzed by fear. "If you don't move, I'll make you." He said in a dangerous tone and Midori was off the bed and standing next to him in seconds.

The man nodded to her then started walking down the hall. Midori followed closely, not wanting to get lost or run into any of the other people the voice, Leader-sama, had mentioned. Soon though, the tall man stopped in front of a plain looking door and stepped to the side. Again, the man nodded to her and Midori took that as her cue to knock.

"You may enter." A voice said from the other side. Midori's hand trembled as she reached for the door knob.

'_I may very well die here…I'm so sorry Akira, Takeshi. I love you both so much…' _she thought as she turned the knob and slowly opened the door.

Sitting on the edge of a desk was an orange-haired man, his arms folded over his chest. He had three piercings through the bridge of his nose and many more in both ears. Midori could tell by his posture that he was a powerful man, like her father, and she respectfully bowed to him as she would to her father. The man bowed in return and motioned for her to have a seat in the chair in front of him. She did so without hesitation.

"Is there anything I can get for you my lady? Are you hungry?" the man asked, his tone much different than before. Midori merely nodded. "When I ask you a question, I expect a verbal answer." He said with a hint of irritation in his voice.

"I'm sorry." Midori said, her meek voice carrying through the dark room. "Yes, I would like something to eat." The man nodded and walked to the door. Poking his head out of the door, he whispered to the raven-haired man then closed the door and walked back.

"Lady Takeda, have you any idea why you're here?" he asked as he leaned against his desk.

"I haven't the faintest idea, sir." She answered as politely as possible. For some odd reason, her heiress training was kicking in. Perhaps it was because of the man before her, he did have that dominating aura like her father. Or, maybe it was because of the situation. Either way, she was thankful that she had gone through the training, it may even save her from something far worse that this, farther down the road.

"You are ransom. All we want is money, nothing more. We will not keep you longer than we have to unless your father or fiancée decide to not pay." He said…and sounded a little disgusted with the idea. Midori couldn't help but stare at the man.

"Pardon my rudeness but you don't seem too…entertained by the notion of ransom." Midori said and immediately clapped her hands over her mouth. "I apologize, that was rather…uncalled for on my part." To her astonishment, the man chuckled again.

"You're a funny girl; not very many have been able to pull even the slightest of laughs out of me…for many years and here you've done it twice in fewer than twenty minuets. Tell no one I said that." The man said as he pushed himself off of the desk and walked towards her. He took a seat next to her and fixed his gaze on the floor.

"May I ask your name?" Midori so boldly questioned as he turned to face him.

He looked up at her and locked his gaze on hers. "Only if you can promise to call me by my name in private." He said and meant it.

"I promise." She said with a tight nod.

"My name is Pein." She smiled at him for no apparent reason, at least to Pein, it seemed trivial. "Come my lady, dinner is about to be served…but I can't promise it'll be any good."

"You don't have to call me that Pein-sama; my title means nothing at the moment." Midori said as they stood. For a second there, Pein didn't see to grasp what she said. He merely nodded.

"You're one smart cookie. It's true your title means nothing now, but my men have been instructed to call you as such. I may not like to entertain the thought of ransom but it doesn't mean we have no form of manners." He said with what resembled a smile, though Midori could tell it was forced which put a damper on her expectations of the other people she had yet to meet.

Dinner was set on a large, long table. Candles lined the middle, though none were lit. Pein escorted Midori into the dining room and stood at the head of the table. No one noticed Midori at first as they chatted in small groups. Pein cleared his throat, getting their attention immediately.

"This is Lady Takeda," he said, introducing the young heiress to the group. She, in turn, bowed to the assembled shinobi in respect. There were a few snickers that she let slip by out of respect for Pein. "She will be staying with us, so if you would introduce yourselves and stop with the bullshit antics Hidan." Pein said as he glared at Hidan who was mocking Midori's little display.

"My name is Konan; it's nice to see another girl around here." A woman with blue hair said as she bowed to her. Midori smiled at the woman, glad to see that she wasn't all alone anymore.

"Tobi is a good boy." A masked man said as he too bowed to Midori. Tobi was shorter that Konan and spoke like a child, surely he was just being nice…maybe.

"Uh…hi, I'm Hoshigaki Kisame. It's nice to…meet you, I guess." An extremely tall, blue man said. Midori was taken aback by the man's appearance. He looked like…well; he looked like a giant, blue shark-man. Blue skin, sharp teeth and gill-like markings under his tiny eyes; everything about him screamed 'shark' to Midori but she smiled politely to him and bowed.

"I'm Uchiha Itachi, Kisame's partner, we've met already." The raven-haired man said. At the mention of 'Uchiha', Midori bowed graciously.

"It's an honor to meet someone of the great Uchiha clan." She said the grace and aptitude of a queen. Itachi just 'hned' and turned his head.

"Hello there, I'm Deidara un." Waved a very enthusiastic blonde as he smiled from ear to ear, Midori couldn't help but smile at him. She then turned to the redhead standing next to Deidara.

"I'm Akasuna no Sasori." And that was it. He didn't wave, bow or smile. Sasori didn't even look in her direction. Midori figured that was the best she could expect out of him and left it at that.

Next was a tall plant-like man who introduced himself as Zetsu. He too, did say or do anything else.

"Hello again sweetie…err…Lady Takeda." Hidan said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"You'll have to excuse my partner; he's not good with introductions. I'm Kakuzu…and yes, we've met before." Said the masked man next to Hidan. Midori held back her glare for she didn't want to start anything and pay for it later.

"Lady Takeda, you can sit at the other end of the table, between Itachi and Deidara." Pein said as he pulled out his chair. Midori bowed again and walked down to her seat, all too aware of the eyes watching every move she made. They took their seats and conversation just popped up as soon as their butts hit the seat.

"If I weren't an S-Class criminal, I'd marry into nobility." Deidara said as he passed the salad to Midori.

"Why do you say that?" she asked as she passed the bread to Itachi.

"I think I'd be cool to have all that money and power." He said with a big toothy grin.

"Marrying for money is technically slavery." Midori said then took a bit out of her salad. All conversation stopped.

Deidara scratched his head. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Yes, please explain." Konan said from the other end of the table.

Midori put her hand to her mouth and swallowed then took a sip of her water. She put down her fork and looked at the faces of the assembled group. "Hypothetically speaking, let's say Itachi and I were married but he married me for the nobility status, I would be forced to be his slave. I would have no say in what he did because it is my role to serve my husband." She said as she glanced at each member.

"I see your point but…how exactly is it considered slavery?" Sasori said as he fiddled with his spoon. Midori looked him in the eyes.

"It is an act of barbarism. To defile the sacred bond of marriage for a petty thing such as money, you may as well live in the middle ages where that kind of thing was seen as normal. Back then, marrying for money was the birth right of people like myself." She said then turned her attention to her plate. "Listen to me, talking about the 'sacred bond of marriage' when my husband has been chosen for me." She said with a heavy sigh. "It's slavery when you can't marry the person because you love them, but because they have money and a dowry."

"Doesn't it bother you that you have everything while others suffer to please you?" Kisame asked as he leaned forward.

Midori looked up from her plate. "You have no idea."

"I may not, but he might." He said as he pointed to Itachi.

"Let's not delve into my past." Was all Itachi said. Midori shrugged her shoulders and turned her attention to Pein who had remained silent throughout dinner.

"What do you think, Leader-sama?" she asked as she folded her hands in her lap.

Pein looked up from his cleared plate and cocked and eyebrow. "Marriage is an excuse for women to keep the men they like in check." He sated plainly. "They trap men by getting pregnant, making the father of the child feel guilty and there you have it. That man can no longer enjoy the pleasures of the flesh."

Midori's mouth dropped open, unable to believe the words that just came out of his mouth.

"Well said, Leader-sama." Sasori agreed.

"Wow, I've never heard marriage explained like that before." Midori said as she placed her napkin on the table next to her plate.

"It's the world we live in now, Lady Takeda. I wouldn't expect a spoiled rich girl like your self to understand." Sasori said with a cocky smile.

"I'm not spoiled…I'm sheltered, there's a difference Sasori-san." Midori said as she turned to face him.

"And that difference is?" he asked as he turned in his chair.

"The definition of spoiled, in terms of people, is that they get what they want and that, I can assure you I do not. I'm sheltered, meaning that I am kept from knowing about the so called 'harsh realities' of the world." She said, her dignified tone cutting the tension like a hot knife through butter.

"I think that's enough of that. We all come from different backgrounds and hostility is expected but let's not get carried away." Pein said as he put his hands up. Midori gave him a thankful look and nodded.

"I agree." She said as she picked up her glass of water.

"That's not what you said in your sleep." Hidan said with a snicker. "If I remember correctly, you were going to kill me, the untrustworthy rat that killed your friend."

Midori snapped. She stood up and slammed her fists on the table. "How dare you? You have no right to speak. I gave you directions back to your motel room and repay my kindness by killing my best friend." She seethed. Everyone at the table didn't expect primp and proper Midori to loose her cool like that. But that wasn't the worst of it; the fact that she was crying made some of them feel sorry for her…a little. Midori bowed her head. "May I be excused?"

"Konan, taken Lady Takeda to her room," Pein said as he stood and bowed to her. Once Midori was out of the room, Pein stalked over to Hidan and cracked him a new one. "You _will _watch what you say around her and you _will _apologize to her in the morning. You know damn well I hate this ransom shit and I expect your full cooperation. Is that clear?" Pein roared as he stood over Hidan.

"Yes, Leader-sama, I understand." He gasped, rubbing his chest where Pein kicked him.

"That goes for all of you." Pein said as he turned to the rest of the group. There was a collective nod and then Pein stormed out of the dinning room.

"So much for a civilized dinner, un," Deidara said as he stood and began clearing the table. Everyone left a little while later; no one said a word as they went about their business.

"How is she?" Pein asked when Konan stepped out of Midori's room.

She let out a sigh and leaned against the wall. "Well, she just went to sleep. She'll be fine as long as Hidan can keep his damn trap shut." Konan grunted, combing her hair with one hand. "Who should we pair her with in the mean time?"

Pein scratched the back of his head, thinking. "Tobi and Zetsu aren't going anywhere for a while, she can stay with them until Hidan can control his mouth." Konan nodded.

"Itachi may be a better guardian for her." She said as she pushed herself off the wall and leaned against him.

"That may be, but I want Hidan and Midori to work this out. Not that I don't think they will, we can't afford for something to go wrong." He sighed. Konan gently rubbed his arm.

"Then we'll put her in his care so they can work through the bullshit."

Midori listened to their words and frowned. She didn't want to be around Hidan at all but at this point she had no other options. Running away wouldn't work, Kakuzu would just catch her within seconds and Pein had been so nice to her.

"I guess I'll just have to go with the flow." She sighed then turned over. "Akira-kun, I miss you. Please do what they tell you so I can get out of here and away from Hidan." Midori whispered to the window. Her eyes were getting heavier by the second. _'I guess I'll get some sleep. Heh, getting all worked up over something I had no control over. Oh well, how bad can it be?' _she thought as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

The Deal

It was early, too early. Pein walked down the dark hall, stopping only once when he stubbed his toe on the table. He was never up this early but it beat lying in bed, tossing and turning for another hour. Pein passed Midori's room and his mind brought back images of her sad face when she talked about her arranged marriage. He was about to knock on her door when he realized…he couldn't sense her chakra signature in the room.

"Fuck me," he spat as he marched down the hall in search of her. Pein made his way toward the dinning room when he noticed the light in the kitchen was on, shining under the door frame. It was a bit on the bright side, see is how he had just spent the last ten minutes in total darkness. He heard voices, whispering voices on the other side of the door. Pein could sense Midori and breathed a sigh of relief. He was surprised to find Hidan in the kitchen with her.

"I just wanted to apologize for last night. I don't know what got into me and I said things that weren't appropriate, and again, I'm sorry." Hidan said as he placed something on the counter. Pein couldn't make out what Midori said; her voice was too quiet to understand. So, he decided to walk in and find out himself.

Midori opened her eyes and looked around her room. The clock said four in the morning and it seemed like an eternity for a minute to pass. She couldn't sleep anymore. Midori felt tired but her mind was wide awake and it wasn't going to shut down any time soon. She sat up and slid out of bed and grabbed the clothes Konan gave her for the day. Midori walked into her bathroom and took a quick shower so she wouldn't wake up her neighbors.

After her shower, Midori dressed and walked towards her door when she banged her knee on the dresser.

"Going somewhere?" Hidan asked from the doorway, leaning against the frame.

"Yeah," she answered. "The kitchen to make coffee," Midori said as she rubbed her knee.

"Here, let me have a look." He said as he pushed him self off the door and bent down next to her. She winced as his large fingers brushed her injured knee. "It's a bruise, nothing to worry about."

"I am such a klutz. I can't believe I walked into that." Midori said as she looked at her knee. "Ah, crap! It's bleeding." Hidan scooped her up and carried her to the kitchen. With Midori's help, Hidan found a first-aid kit and bandaged her knee.

"All better…unless you decide to walk into something else." Hidan said as he patted her leg and helped Midori off the counter.

"Thank you Hidan-san. Do you want some coffee?" she whispered, trying not to wake anyone else.

"Yeah, that sounds good." He said as he leaned over the counter to watch her. She limped a little but seemed fine. "Quick question, why are you up so early?"

"I couldn't sleep any longer. Why are you up?" she asked as she pulled two cups out of the cupboard.

"Rituals, it's easier to perform them when Kakuzu is sleeping." Hidan answered. He couldn't help but feel bad about what had happened the night before, especially when Pein beat the hell out of him but Midori seemed to be past that now.

"What kind of rituals?" she asked as she handed him a cup of scolding hot coffee.

"Thanks. Blood rituals…that's all Jashin-sama will except." Midori looked at him for a second then shrugged. "Hey, uh…I just wanted to apologize for last night. I don't know what got into me and I said things that weren't appropriate, and again, I'm sorry." Hidan said as he placed his coffee mug on the counter.

"I understand you were under orders…just please, don't bring it up again. I am willing to forgive and forget." She said as she looked into her coffee, as if searching for something in its depths. The kitchen door opened and in walked Pein…and he didn't look happy. He looked around and found the open first-aid kit.

"Why is that open?" he asked as he looked at the pair drinking coffee.

"I banged my knee on the dresser in my room." Midori said pointing to her left knee with the pant leg still rolled up. Pein nodded then turned his attention to the floor. Midori grabbed a coffee cup from the cupboard and poured Pein some coffee. "Here you go Leader-sama." She said as handed him a cup.

"Thank you Lady Takeda." Pein said as he took the cup and took a sip. "Mmm, good coffee, if you need anything I'll be in my office. Let me know when breakfast is ready." He waved as he walked away, glad that the two worked through their little problem so quickly.

"Don't mind him; Leader-sama is a busy man. It'd be best to not get in his way." Hidan said as he picked his cup back up and gulped down his coffee. "Well, Tobi should be up to make breakfast in a little bit…man, that's one thing I'm not looking forward to." He grumbled as he walked towards the kitchen door.

"I'll make breakfast then. If you really don't like what Tobi makes then why didn't you cook something?" Midori asked as she went to the pantry and opened the door.

"I don't cook, that's women's work." He answered over his shoulder then walked out of the kitchen.

Something smelled wonderful; good enough to make Itachi get out of bed. He knew it wasn't Tobi cooking, that usually smelled like burning death but this…this was like heaven.

"What smells so good?" Kisame asked as he sat up in bed, stretching his arms out in front of him.

"I don't know but I hope it's as good as it smells." Itachi said as he pulled his shirt over his head. Not bothering to wait for Kisame, Itachi walked out of the room and headed straight for the dinning room just in time to see Midori put bacon on the table before retreating into the kitchen.

Pein walked into the dinning room just moments after Itachi, Kisame right behind him. "I guess she didn't have to come get me, I could smell it all way from my office." He said as he sat down at the table. The other Akatsuki members filed in moments later as Midori set the rest of breakfast on the table.

"Please, eat up." She said as she too, sat down at the table. No one said a word as they devoured the food she worked so hard to make.

"Where did you learn to cook?" Itachi asked as he set his fork down. Everyone's attention was diverted from their food as he spoke for two reasons. One: Itachi had asked a question without any real provocation. Two: they also were interested in knowing where she picked up this wonderful talent.

"I've watched Tanaka enough to learn, plus she taught me a few things." Midori said with a smile. "I'm glad you all enjoyed your meal."

"How's your knee?" Hidan asked as he pushed his empty plate away to make room for his elbows.

Midori looked down at the bandage on her knee. "Better, I think. It doesn't hurt anymore." She said as she looked up at him.

"Lady Takeda, you kimono has been cleaned. Be ready to leave in fifteen minutes. Itachi, I want to see you in my office." Pein said his tone was crisp and demanding.

"Right away, Leader-sama," Midori said afraid of upsetting him. She noticed that Pein had seemed a little agitated through breakfast and didn't want to he on the receiving end if he decided to get violent.

"Don't worry about the dishes, Tobi will take care of them. I'll help you dress." Konan said as she stood from the table. Midori stood as well as Itachi and Pein and the four of them left the room, leaving the others in silence.

Akira sat across from the Daimyo as the carriage drew closer to their destination. The letter they'd received the previous night said that Midori would be present and that they shouldn't plan anything rash…because it would be detrimental to Midori's wellbeing. Akira sighed, thinking back to that day, the day his beloved was snatched away from him as she was reaching out to him. Her scared face had haunted his dreams over the past two nights. (Midori slept through the first day.)

"Don't fret," the Daimyo assured. "She'll be home soon; safe and sound." He said as he looked out the carriage window. Lord Takeda fiddled with his graying beard as he watched the trees slide past the coach.

"My worry is not when she'll be back…it's what they may have done to her while they have her. There are so many possibilities that I'd rather not think about, yet they still creep into my thoughts." Akira huffed as he rocked with the motion of the horse-drawn carriage. Lord Takeda glanced at his future son-in-law and raised a brow.

"You don't seem very confident in my bargaining skills, young master." He said as he turned to completely face Akira.

"I'm very confident in you my lord…I'm just worried about Midori." Akira replied.

The carriage came to a halt in front o a decrepit house on the outskirts of a small fishing village.

"We're here my lord." The servant said as he opened the door. Lord Takeda stepped out first and looked around. Akira followed him as they made their way into the building.

Midori sat down in the chair next to Pein as Itachi stood behind them, leaning against the wall. Pein stood when he heard the horses come to a stop outside.

"Right on time." He said as the door open and in walked Lord Takeda and Akira. Midori stood with Pein and bowed to her father and fiancée then looked to Pein with sad eyes. He nodded to her.

"Akira!" she shouted as she ran to him, her arms going around his waist as she barreled into him.

"My dear, did they hurt you? Are you all right?" Akira asked as he hugged her. Midori shook her head and looked up at him, a warm smile on her lips.

"I'm fine, they've been very courteous." She answered then turned to her father. He didn't so much as glance in her direction. "I'm sorry father, if I hadn't insisted on walking with Takeshi…none of this would have happened." He said nothing in return.

Pein nodded to Itachi who walked over to Midori and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and walked her over to the wall where he had been standing.

"Let's get started." Lord Takeda said as he glared at Pein. Pein nodded once again and stepped aside to let them pass. "What is it that you want from us? What do you hope to gain from taking my daughter?"

"Money," Pein said as he stared Lord Takeda directly in the eyes. "25 million Ryu from each of you, you have one month to comply."

"And if we refuse?" Takeda asked as he leaned back in his chair.

"Take a look at your daughter, take a long look…because if you refuse, it'll be the last time you see her alive and whole." Pein threatened. Midori took a sharp breath, unable to believe what he just said.

"You would go that far?" Akira asked out of disbelief.

"Do I look like I'm bluffing?" Pein shot back. "Three days before your wedding is to take place the money will be delivered to another location where it will be counted…"

"What are you trying to pull here?" Akira growled.

"Do you want to marry Lady Midori or do you want to scour the countryside for the remains of your fiancée?" Pein asked as he cocked his head to the side. Akira said nothing. "As I was saying: the money will be counted. Once it has, Lady Midori will be returned to you." He finished.

"You don't seem the type to pull a stunt like this, why bother at all?" Takeda asked after a long pause.

"We couldn't let the opportunity pass us by." Pein said like it was second nature to him. All the while, Midori was silently crying; she knew her father well and knew he would never bend to the will of any man of a lesser title than his own.

"Father, I beg you…do as he says. I want to go home." She pleaded. Pein saw something unfamiliar pass in Lord Takeda's eyes and he didn't know how to describe it. That is, until he watched Lord Takeda bow his head in defeat.

"You will have your money but I swear…if she is harmed in any way, I will kill you." Takeda warned. Pein simply nodded. Finally, Takeda looked at Midori and smiled at her. "Don't worry about a thing; daddy will take care of it." He said. Midori couldn't trust herself to speak, so she nodded at his words trying desperately to hold back her sobs.

"We are in agreement then?" Pein asked, forcing Takeda to look at him.

"We are," he answered. Itachi then lead Midori out of the house as Pein disappeared. Lord Takeda and Akira sat there for a moment wondering what they just got them selves into. "Let's go, Midori is no danger…for the time being."

Akira stared at Takeda. "What are you planning?" he asked as they stood.

"We kill the bastards when they deliver my daughter."

"Leader-sama, can I you something?" Midori questioned meekly, voice scratchy from crying. He turned to her and nodded. "Are you really going to do what you said…if they don't pay?"

"Let me ask you something Lady Takeda." He said, turning the tables on her. "How would you feel about them if they didn't keep up their end of the deal?" Pein asked as he stopped walking. Itachi stood off to the side, listening intently to the conversation.

"Well, I'd be very upset…let me rephrase that; I would most likely hate them for the rest of my life." She answered with a frown.

"Now, to answer your question; no I not going to hurt you if they don't pay. It wouldn't be your fault that they didn't. It just means they don't love you enough to sacrifice a few Ryu for your life." He said as he sat down on the ground. "Come now, let's rest for a moment." She sat a few feet away from Pein while Itachi leaned against the tree right behind her.

When they returned to base, just a few hours later, Midori went to her room and sat on the bed. Without knowing it, she fell asleep curled up in a ball, clutching her pillow as tears slipped down her pale cheeks. Something about the meeting had her nerves tingling as if she knew something would go wrong. But only time will tell.


	5. Chapter 5

Getting To Know You

Hidan watched her sleep for a long time. Nothing special, he just felt responsible for her. Her hair was down and man was it long; stopping at mid back. She looked peaceful with her head turned slightly to the right, her mouth parted a little and on arm above her head. Midori was quite the sight. Hidan found himself wanting to touch her hair; he had never seen hair so long and beautiful before.

He sat down on the edge of her bed, careful not to wake her. Midori shifted a little but stayed asleep but she now faced away from him. Hidan reached out and gently stroked her hair.

"So soft," he whispered as he twirled a few strands between his fingers. Suddenly, Midori turned over and inadvertently back-handed Hidan in the nose. "Fuck! That hurt." He shouted causing Midori to wake up.

"What in God's name are you doing in here?" she screeched then threw a pillow at him.

"What the hell? Why'd you hit me?" he shouted back.

"That's enough. Hidan, go back to your room." Itachi said from the doorway, Kisame right behind him.

"Sorry guys, but he scared the living daylights out of me." Midori apologized as she bowed.

"There's no need for that, now go back to sleep." Itachi said as he and Kisame turned and walked away, closing the door as they went.

The next morning, Midori stalked about the kitchen hissing venomously about not getting enough sleep. Itachi walked in and almost walked right into her.

"Sorry," he said as he grabbed a cup of orange juice. "Are you all right, you seem…upset." Itachi questioned.

"I didn't get much sleep after Hidan's_ surprise _visit last night." She grumbled as she picked up the raw bacon and put it in the pan.

"Why is that?" he asked as he watched her move around the kitchen.

"I kept watch of the door for most of the night. Scared me half to death…" she complained. Just when Midori had finished cooking, Itachi took the food out of her hands and motioned for her to sit down at the table. She did so with a sigh.

Kakuzu walked into the dinning room, smiling under his mask. When he looked at Midori, Kakuzu could no longer contain the laughter that built up when he heard what happened.

"You got him good. Hidan's got a bloody nose because of you." He chuckled. Midori scowled.

"I didn't even mean to hit him…but I'm glad I did." She grinned earning a snicker from Kisame who walked in just moments before Kakuzu.

"I wouldn't recommend hitting him every time you get mad at him though." Kisame said as he sat down next to Itachi.

Midori turned to look at him. "Why not," she questioned as tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"Let's just say he likes pain…a lot." He answered with a toothy grin. Midori was still confused but gave up due to how tired she was from the lack of sleep. Hidan walked in and sat down next to Kakuzu, not even glancing in her direction as he waited for Pein and the others.

Zetsu and Tobi walked in followed closely by Deidara and Sasori. All four of them saw Hidan and his bloody nose but didn't think much of it. Pein walked in and stopped dead in his tracks. Midori was glaring at Hidan and Hidan's nose was purple and bloody. Konan stepped around him and took her place at the table.

"Would someone care to explain what happened?" Pein asked as he moved to sit down.

"Midori thwacked Hidan in her sleep." Itachi stated simply.

"And just what the hell were you doing in her room?" Pein said as he turned his attention to Hidan.

"I was checking on her and got too close." Hidan said as he finally looked at Midori. She turned her head so she wouldn't look at him.

"I hope you learned your lesson." She said as she tried not to smile. The room suddenly erupted with laughter but not Midori's or Itachi's. Eventually the laughter died down to a few giggles as breakfast was served. Hidan barely ate as he watched Midori from the corner of his eye.

"What do you do for fun, un?" Deidara asked Midori as the group chatted amongst them selves.

"Read books and play with the cat." She answered with a shrug.

"You don't get out much, do you?" Sasori questioned as he leaned on his elbows.

"Afraid not, I've never been to the movies, the park or even on a date. Sure I went for walks with Takeshi, but we never went anywhere like that." She said as she put a finger to her chin as if thinking about her answer.

"Why haven't you been on a date, un?" Deidara asked with a frown.

Midori frowned too. "My engagement to Akira was set when I was eleven making dates with anyone else forbidden and Akira lived so far away, we couldn't get together."

"That sucks." Sasori said as he leaned back in his chair.

"Tell me about it." Midori said as she plopped her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her hands.

"We should take you to the movies, Midori-chan." Tobi exclaimed as his hands shot up into the air.

"I didn't agree to that." Midori and Pein said at the same time.

"It's bad enough to have another person here; I just don't want to add anymore financial stress to the situation." Midori said as she put her hands up as if surrendering.

"You would willingly stay behind so that your captors will not be burdened?" Itachi asked. Midori nodded.

"Well, yeah…I don't have to go anywhere. Where I go is completely up to Leader-sama." Midori said as she turned her head to look at him.

Itachi couldn't understand why she was being so nice to the people who took her from her family, from the people who loved her. It didn't bother him that she rather stay behind; what bothered him was the fact that she seemed a little too comfortable with the people around her. Maybe it was Leader-sama's doing but Itachi just didn't understand.

"Kakuzu set aside some money for Lady Takeda. I see no point in keeping her locked up here for a month." Pein said as he stood. "If you'll excuse me, I have some work to do." Kakuzu nodded and stood as well. Soon it was just Hidan and Midori sitting at the table.

"I'm sorry." They said at the same time. Midori giggled as she looked at him.

"I didn't mean to scare you last night, I'm sorry." Hidan said as bowed his head.

"It's all right, if I hadn't hit you, you wouldn't have scared me." She said with a smile.

"So, it's a truce then?"

"Yeah…if you help me clean up," Midori answered as she stood. Hidan nodded and stood to help.

Meanwhile, Itachi watched from the hall as the pair worked to clean the dishes and table. He was starting to see why she was being so nice. It was because of Hidan. Itachi knew that Hidan had a thing for the girl which was obvious to everyone. But he couldn't place the girl's feelings for Hidan, not just yet.

Midori and Tobi walked around the parlor watering Zetsu's plants when Kisame walked in.

"Lady Midori, Leader-sama would like to see you." Kisame said as he took the water can from her and started on the plants on the other side of the room. Midori nodded then turned and walked down the hall.

Itachi was standing outside of Pein's office; he didn't look at her as he opened the door for her and closed it after she walked in.

"You wanted to see me, Pein-sama?" she asked as she bowed to him.

"Yes, I've sent Hidan and Kakuzu out on a mission, Itachi will take you into town today." He answered as he flipped a piece of paper over and set in on top of a stack of other papers. Midori was a little put off by the news…she wanted to go with Hidan. And at the same time, she found this to be the perfect opportunity to unravel the mystery that was Itachi.

"Thank you Pein-sama." She said with a smile. Midori bowed to him and he waved her off as she turned and scampered out the door.

"Are you ready to go?" Itachi asked when she emerged from the office.

"Born ready!" she said, giving him a thumbs up. Itachi wanted to roll his eyes, but he knew better. This was her first date….so to speak and he had to do the honors.

'_Better me than that punk Hidan anyway.' _ He thought as they walked down the hall. Kisame let out a loud whistle that made Midori blush.

"It's not a real date." She called over her shoulder then closed the door behind her.

The village was alive; not literally, there were just so many people around. Midori had never been to a village like this before; so many things to look at and so little time.

"Where would you like to start?" Itachi asked as they walked through the crowed streets.

Midori looked around and saw a small shop to the right. "Well, let's start there and work our way down." She said with a shrug. Then Itachi did something unexpected; he grabbed her hand and led the way to the shop.

"I don't need you getting lost." He explained. Midori nodded and followed his lead, trying to hide her blush.

The shop was a bust; selling little trinkets that the pair thought were stupid. After leaving the shop, Itachi and Midori weaved their way through the crowd to another shop were Itachi took a great interest in a few kunai he saw on a display rack. They walked in and looked around.

Itachi talked to the shop keeper while Midori looked around. Something caught her eye as she scanned the dusty shelves. A beautiful handcrafted katana lie on its side amongst other older swords. She reached up and hefted the sword with great care. The blue cord around the handle was in pristine condition, the hilt needed to be polished and the sheath was a banged up, but other then that…the sword was perfect.

"Do you know how to use one of those?" Itachi asked as he walked up behind her.

Midori inspected the blade then set it back on the shelf. "Takeshi taught me a few things when father wasn't around but only because I begged him to." She answered, turning to look at Itachi.

"What did he teach you?" he asked trying to pull as much information from her as possible. He found it fascinating that a girl like her, rich and pure, would look at swords and other weapons meant for killing. Clearly, there was more to this girl than just money.

"We only got through the basics, my father found out and had a fit." Midori said with a frown.

"You should talk to Kisame," he said then led her out of the shop.

After a few more shops, the pair stopped for lunch then returned to base for the day. All-in-all, Midori had a good time, even though she learned absolutely nothing about Itachi and his inner workings. The man would remain a puzzle…for now.

Two days passed and still Hidan hadn't returned. Midori began to worry about him; when he would be back, if he was all right. It drove her crazy and the funny thing was…she wasn't exactly sure why she was worrying about him. Maybe it was because he was the first Akatsuki member she met. Or maybe it was because he was in charge of her. Maybe it was something more. Well, whatever it was, she wasn't happy about it. Midori hated not knowing what her feelings meant.

When her mother died when she little, Midori had no one to confide her feelings too; no one who could possibly understand what she was going through. Now, now there was nothing she could do about it until it worked itself out. Only then could she decipher what it all meant. Lying on her stomach, Midori turned the page of her book and sighed.

"Things are more…lively when he's around." She whispered as she stretched her legs a little. There was a knock at the door causing her to jump a bit. "Come in."

"Miss me?" Hidan said as he poked his head into her room.

"You bet your ass I did." She said as she scrambled off the bed and strode toward him.

"Come on, we're going into the village." Hidan said as he took her hand and led her toward the door. Though she was tired, Midori didn't argue with him.

"What kind of movie do you want to see?" Hidan asked as they walked side-by-side.

"An action movie." She cheered as her eyes beamed up at him. Hidan let out a hardy laugh then took her hand but didn't lead her like Itachi did; instead he walked at her pace. Midori liked walking with Hidan more than Itachi; he did lead her around like a puppy and she didn't have to follow him like a stray begging for scraps of food.

"Alright, the new Princess Gale movie just came out, so we can watch that one." He said as they turned the corner.

"How's Princess Gale?" she asked as she cocked her head to the side.

"Man, you have been sheltered. Well, you'll find out soon enough." Hidan grinned, looking down at her. She smiled at him and tightened her grip on hid hand.

Midori looked around and caught a man's gaze. He smiled devilishly at her making Midori extremely uncomfortable. She turned her attention back to the road ahead. She could feel the man staring at her making her even more uncomfortable. Midori clung to Hidan's arm out of fear.

"What's wrong?" he asked even though he enjoyed having her close to him.

"That man behind us, he scares me." Midori answered. In response, Hidan let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her. He then turned around with her to address the creepy man.

"Back the fuck off, she belongs to me. I suggest you start walking the other way or I'll fucking kill you." Hidan spat as the man started to back up with his hands held up.

"S-sorry man," The man said then turned and ran for his life. Hidan and Midori turned back around and continued to walk to the movies.

"Thanks Hidan, he was really creeping me out." She said with a grateful smile.

Hidan stood a little taller, proud of his act. "No problem let me know if I can be of any serves to you in the future." He said as he smiled down at her. "Look, we're here."

After the movie, Hidan and Midori walked out of the theatre and started walking toward a small ramen stand. They ate their fill and continued down the road.

"I've got a surprise for you." Hidan said as they walked down the darkening streets.

Midori cocked an eyebrow. "And what might that be?" she asked with a grin.

"I can't tell you that, it wouldn't be a surprise if I did." He said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Tell you what, close your eyes and don't open them until I say." He said. Midori huffed but did as she was told. Suddenly, Hidan swept her off her feet and carried her for a while. He ran along roof tops with Midori clinging to his neck, her face buried his shoulder.

When he stopped, Hidan set her down so that her feet were dangling over the edge of something.

"Alright, you can open your eyes now." He said with a slight breathlessness in his voice. Again, Midori did as she was told and her breath caught in her throat.

He had her seated on the edge of a crow's nest at the top of the mast of a ship in the harbor. It was so beautiful up there, watching the sun set as she leaned against Hidan.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it. Thank you so much Hidan. I had a great time tonight." She said with a warm smile. He smiled back and turned back to the setting sun. Once the sun slipped under the horizon, Hidan picked her back up and carried her back into the village, this time Midori kept her eyes open watching the scenery zip by.

They returned to base a half hour later, laughing about nothing in particular. Hidan walked with her back to her room and stopped at the door.

"I had a really great time tonight Hidan, thank you." Midori said as she turned the knob or her door.

"Yeah, me too…say, do you want to do that again some time, tomorrow perhaps?" he asked as he shifted from one foot to the other. Midori giggled and nodded.

"Sounds like a plan to me." She said then took a step towards him. Midori stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. "Good night Hidan." Then she retreated into her room.

For a moment, Hidan just stood there holding his cheek where she kissed him. A tiny smile crossed his lips as he turned away from the door and walked down the hall.

"Not the brightest of ideas; getting attached when she'll be gone in a month." Itachi said as he walked down the hall.

"Eat a dick Itachi, just because she had a good time with me and not you doesn't give you the right to bust my balls because you screwed up!" Hidan said as he pushed past him.

"Watch what you say Hidan, you know as well as I do that you can't take me on." Itachi said with a smirk.

"Kiss my ass pretty boy." And the argument ended there as Pein walked out of his office and glared at the two of them.

"Either you two knock it off or suffer the consequences." Pein warned as he looked between the two men. Neither one said a word as they went their separate ways.


	6. Chapter 6

Midori's Night of Terror

(WARNING: This chapter contains material not suited for younger readers. Rape, lemon and graphic sexual content are featured in this chapter.)

Over the next two weeks, Hidan and Midori went on a number of 'dates' that made them bond more than ever. Itachi found their relationship to more annoying than anything. The inside jokes and laughing had gotten on his nerves before, but not…it angered him to no end. He wasn't the jealous type, not by any means; he just felt that if Midori were to fall for any one…he should be that one.

"Hey," Hidan said as he walked into Midori's room. Itachi listened through the wall as Midori said hello to Hidan. "I'm going of a mission for the next twelve hours…well; at least I think it'll take that long. Do you want me to get anything for you while I'm gone?"

"No, I don't need anything but thanks for asking." She answered with a smile.

"All right, I'm outta here. I'll see you later sweetie." Hidan said as he kissed her forehead. Her smile grew as Midori watched Hidan walk away.

"See you later…Hidan-kun." She whispered as she sat back down on her bed. Hidan heard her and waved as he disappeared. Itachi heard her too…and gagged a little.

'_Sentimental brat…' _he thought as he moved away from the wall.

"Yo, Itachi, mission briefing in five…get your rear…what are you doing, are you spying?" Kisame asked as he entered their room.

"No, now let's go see what Leader-sama wants." Itachi answered as he picked up his cloak and walked around Kisame. Kisame watched his partner walk away and wondered what the hell he was up to.

"Itachi, you'll stay behind and look after Lady Takeda. I don't want anything to happen to her while we're gone…that's why my best man will stay here." Pein said as he looked at the assembled group before him. They had received word that the Sound was on the move and heading in their direction.

"Understood," They said in unison. Pein dismissed them then stood and walked to tell Midori personally…after he stopped at a sealed room.

The room was dark; the only light came from five human-sized tubes in the center of the room. Pein walked towards the tubes and hit a button. Simultaneously, the lights tuned on and the tubes opened…and five men stepped out. The looked similar to Pein but there were differences between them. They all had the trademark orange hair, but the piercings were different.

"What's the matter, you got an enemy you can't handle?" asked one of the men. He had extremely long hair that was pulled into a high pony tail.

"Cram it, that's not why I opened your _cage._ There's a girl staying here, she'll be here with Itachi for the night…if anything happens to her, she will be instructed to come here. Your job is to protect her." Pein said as he looked at his 'clones'. All five of them nodded and lay back down in their tubes. Pein pressed the button and left.

Midori walked out of the bathroom to find Pein standing by the door. She bowed to him and he bowed in return.

"We're leaving on a mission; Hidan will be back before I will. Itachi will be staying with you. If for some reason you find yourself in danger, go down the hall and turn left. At the end of that hall is a room with a large black door. Get inside and don't come out until I return." He instructed. Midori was a little scared by his words but nodded nonetheless.

"Be careful, Pein-sama." She said as he turned to leave, causing him to stop in his tracks. He turned and looked at her and smiled…a little.

"I will," he said then left.

Itachi sat in the dining room as Midori set dinner on the table. They sat in their normal seats but no one said anything. The silence was comfortable and expected as they ate the stake Midori prepared for them.

"What do you have planned for the night?" Itachi asked as he sat back in his chair. Midori looked up from her dish.

"Nothing special, I may just go to bed early." She answered. Itachi nodded and stood. He helped her clean up then left her alone to read while he looked over his weapons to make sure they were in good condition.

An hour later, Midori closed her book and stood from the chair in the parlor. She walked to her room then stopped. Turning around, Midori walked to Itachi's room and knocked. She heard footsteps then Itachi opened the door. He stood there, shirtless and looking a little worn out.

"Is there something I can do for you?" he asked as he looked her over.

"I actually came to tell you that I'm going to bed now. Um…if you need anything, I'll be in my room." She said then walked away.

'_There is something I need…that thing is you.' _He thought watching her open her door and walk into her room. Itachi waited three hours until he knew she was sleeping before he crawled out of his bed and walked to her room.

There she was, in all her glory, lying in bed resting like a child. The blankets were a mess, suggesting her night's sleep wasn't as peaceful as it seemed. Midori wore a blue night gown that, thanks to her tossing and turning, was hiked up to her thighs. Her strong legs were crossed as she lay on her side with one arm draped over the side of her bed.

Itachi walked carefully over to her, stepping lightly on the loose floor boards. He sat on the edge of her bed watching her sleep. There was an itch in his hand, begging him to touch her and he did. His hand glided over her smooth thigh, stopping at the edge of her gown. Midori let out a soft moan; a noise that sounded so sweet to Itachi. So much so that he wanted to hear more.

Midori shifted in her sleep, now lying on her back with one leg propped up. Itachi saw this as his chance and stood.

"I don't know what you see in that dog…but I'll make you see what a real man is like." He whispered, taking his shirt off. Itachi reached down and gently pulled her gown up and over her head as he maneuvered her into position. He lay down next to her and began kissing her neck earning more of those sweet noises he heard before. Itachi wanted her, now more than ever. She responded to his touch like a sweet virgin would, with little laughs as she dreamt. Itachi removed her underwear and bra then removed his pants.

Midori's eyes slowly opened as she began to wake up. She felt hot and needed a glass of water…but what she saw was beyond anything she'd ever come to expect. Itachi hovered over her, a longing hunger in his onyx eyes. Then she felt something warm on her inner thigh. Itachi's hand moved further up her leg, stopping at her virgin core. He rubbed the bud of her womanhood with his thumb as he gazed into her terrified eyes. Finally, Midori realized what was happening to her.

"Itachi s-stop." She demanded sounding calmer than she felt.

"What will you do to stop me?" he teased as he rubbed a little harder.

"Stop it Itachi." She said again with a little more emphasis. Midori was so scared by now that she was shaking. But he kept going, this time he stuck a finger inside of her. Midori yelped in pain and she knew that he wasn't going to stop; not even if she begged him to.

"Don't worry, the pain will subside…eventually." He said with a smirk. Midori swiped at him but he was fast and grabbed her hands and held them in place as he moved his naked body between her legs. "Fine…we'll go rough then." He said then plunged into her. Midori yelled as loud as she could; the pain was unbearable. Itachi responded but crashing his lips into hers as his hips rolled back then he slammed into her again. She screamed into his mouth, hoping it would force him off of her but he did budge. He rolled his hips again, moaning as he repeatedly bucked his hip.

"You feel so good my dear." Itachi purred into her ear while Midori cried under him. He leaned back a little to savor her, to thrust deeper into her when Midori's eyes turned dark…like she had been planning something. Suddenly, Midori lurched forward and head-butted Itachi square in the nose. Itachi flew backwards clutching his broken nose. There was now enough room for Midori to move her legs and she kneed him in the groin. Itachi fell over as Midori scrambled to her feet. She grabbed a sheet and ran out of her room, down the hall. Taking a left at the end of the hall and ran for the room Pein told her to go to.

She slammed into the door and turned the knob at the same time, flying forward as the door slammed closed behind her. The room was dark and cold. Midori fixed the sheet around her chest and looked for a light switch. There wasn't much time before Itachi would come looking so she moved as quickly as possible. Fumbling around in the dark, Midori saw a light coming from five huge tubes in the middle of the room. She rushed over to them and found a button and slammed her hand on it. The lights came on and the tubes opened all at the same time. Suddenly, there were five men standing before her.

"Pein-sama…?" she said out of confusion.

"Close but not quite." The man with a pony tail said. He looked her over and notice blood running down her exposed leg but no injury was visible. It clicked in his mind what had happened in a split second. "Was it Itachi who did this to you?" he asked as he took a step toward her. Midori nodded, feeling safer in the presence of the men in the room.

"He raped me." She cried as she buried her face in her hands.

"Come child, Pein told us to keep you safe, and so we shall." She didn't hesitate and ran into his open arms, sobbing into the man's chest. The door was suddenly kicked open and Itachi stepped inside but stopped when he saw the men gathered around Midori. The clone with the pony tail walked Midori to one of the tubes and motioned for the others to take action.

"Oh fuck!" Itachi said then four out of five men charged him, catching him off guard and beating him until he couldn't stand. They tired him up and locked him in a tube while Midori fell asleep in another.

Pein returned in the morning with the others as well as Hidan and Kakuzu. It turned to be a false rumor and Hidan's mission went off without a hitch. Hidan went straight to Midori's room with a bundle of flowers he bought for her. When he entered her room he stopped dead in his tracks. The flowers fell to the floor as he scanned the disheveled room.

The nightstand was knocked over, her night gown lay in a pile on the floor and that wasn't the worst of it. Her bed was a mess, one of the sheets was missing and there was a spot of blood on her bed where she normally lay.

"Is everything in order…?" Pein stopped his question when he entered the room. He looked around and stared at the stain on the bed. "Come with me, I know where she went." Pein said and watched as Hidan bent down and picked up the bundle of flowers and placed them on the dresser. Hidan kept quiet as he followed Pein down the hall.

They stopped at a large black door where Pein could sense Midori's chakra along with six others. One chakra signature was very weak; Itachi's.

"Wait here until I call for you." Pein instructed with a low growl. Hidan nodded and watched Leader disappear behind the door.

"What happened?" Pein questioned as he walked purposefully towards his other bodies. The man with the pony tail stood from a chair and bowed to Pein.

"She was raped by Itachi." He answered as he looked back at the sleeping girl in his tube. Pein clinched his fists at his sides as his gaze shifted to another tube where Itachi lay beaten, bloody and tied up. "We left him alive for you to deal with." Suddenly, Pein turned heal and strode towards the door. Wrenching the door open, Pein started to bark orders to Hidan.

"Get a medic and tell Kisame to get his ass in here." Pein growled.

"Right away Leader-sama," Hidan said with a bow.

"And Hidan," Pein called as Hidan stopped and turned around. "Come back as soon as possible."

"Yes sir." Hidan nodded and took off down the hall. Not five minutes later, Hidan returned with Kisame and a medic. Pein instructed Hidan to wait outside while Kisame dragged Itachi to a holding cell.

The medic looked Midori and set to work to see if anything else had happened to her. Pein waited outside with Hidan, waiting for the young medic to finish when the door opened and the medic stepped out and closed the door behind him.

"How is she?" Hidan asked as the medic leaned against the door.

"She's doing fine, she's still a little shaken but she'll be fine. I gave her some pain killers but you'll have to give her this after she eats." The medic explained as he handed Pein two tablets.

"What is it?" Pein asked as he looked at the pills.

"It's a spermicidal, to keep her from getting pregnant. She wasn't sure if Itachi…finished, so I thought it best to make sure." He said with a sigh. "She's awake if you want to talk to her but she needs to rest a little while longer. I suggest best rest for the next three days."

Hidan was livid, so much so that his fists started bleeding from clinching them so hard.

"I'll kill that bastard. Give me a minuet alone with him and you'll never have to deal with the stupid shit." He spat as he turned to Pein.

"No Hidan, I'll deal with him. For now, let's focus on Midori." Pein said as turned to the medic. "Fix Itachi, I want him to suffer in the worst way." He growled to the medic who nodded and walked away.

Pein and Hidan walked in to see Midori sitting up; talking to Pein's other bodies when she turned her head to look at them. Hidan was by her side in a flash, kneeling next to her and asked fifty questions at a time. Midori smiled sweetly to him then threw her arms around his neck. Pein and the others didn't say anything for a moment as Hidan carefully picked her up and turned around with Midori clinging to him.

"She stays with you from now on. I'll have Tobi open a new room for the two of you." Pein said with a small smirk. Hidan nodded and walked towards the door.

"Everything will be alright; we'll get his funk washed off of you and get you some clean clothes." Hidan cooed as Midori sniffled into his shoulder. Pein saw her nod before Hidan closed the door and disappeared. Pein then turned to the men in the room.

"Tell me everything."

Midori scrubbed her body as best as could but she was in a lot of pain. Her legs and stomach were sore; they throbbed as she tried to stand. She knew Hidan was outside the door but she didn't feel right; some part of her felt responsible for what happened.

"If I were a little stronger, if I had locked the door…none of this would have happened." She whispered as she hugged her knees to her chest. It hurt but she needed the comfort. "I wish you were here with me…mother." She was reduced to tears as she sat in the tub. Hidan walked in and knelt next to her. He gently rubbed her back as she sobbed into her knees.

"I can't imagine what you're going through, but you don't have to cry anymore. I'm here now, I'll keep you safe from now on." Hidan said in a soothing tone. Midori moved her arms around his neck, pulled her self closer to him.

"Why, why did he do this to me?" she cried into his shoulder, grabbing handfuls of his cloak.

"It's not your fault, no matter what you think. You had no control over what he did." He said as he pushed her back to look her in the eyes. "Do you understand? None of this is your fault. Itachi is the one who did this to you, if anyone is to blame its Itachi and me."

"Why do you say that?" she asked as he wiped her tears away.

"If I hadn't agreed to go on that mission, this wouldn't have happened." He answered as he kissed her forehead. "Come on, let's get you dressed…Leader-sama wants to see you." Hidan said as he picked her up and took her into the bedroom. He let her get dressed while he waited outside for her.

She winced a little as she walked to the door and stepped into the hall. Hidan was right there by her side, one hand around her waist the other hand held hers as they walked to Pein's office.

Pein sat at his desk with his head in his hands. Things were going so well for him; Midori was a blessing. She didn't get in the way, never seemed to have a problem with anyone…until now that is. And it just had to be Itachi, his best subordinate, to defile her, to break the rules for the ransom.

"What the hell were you thinking Itachi? I know you know better than that. So why do it? Why rape a defenseless girl, one were getting money for if she's not hurt." He asked the walls but received nothing in return. "I can't give her back now, they'll find out before we have a chance to walk away. What the fuck am I going to do now?" There was a knock at the door. "Enter." Pein said as he looked up to see Midori and Hidan walk slowly into the room.

"You wanted to see me Leader-sama?" she asked after Hidan helped her sit.

"I can't send you back, not after what happened." He said, getting straight to the point. Midori nodded.

"I understand Leader-sama." She said as she bowed her head. "Leader-sama, I want to talk to him, we should at least find out why he did what he did." Midori demanded as a new determination glowed in her brown eyes.

"Understood, I'll call a meeting. In the mean time, you should get something to eat and take these as the medic instructed." Pein said as he stood and walked over to her. "I'm very sorry that this happened to you. Can you forgive me for leaving you with him?"

"You needn't apologize Leader-sama…Uchiha-san should be the one apologizing." She answered with a smile. Pein couldn't help the smile that slid across his lips. Midori seemed wiser than her years in that moment. He patted her head and stood.

"Breakfast then?" he asked as Hidan helped her to stand.

"Yeah, sounds like a great idea." She answered then the three of them walked to the dining room.

"Are you ok?" Tobi asked as he rushed to help Hidan sit her down.

"I'm fine, thank you." She answered, wondering how everyone found out.

"We saw Itachi being dragged to a holding cell…we put two and tow together, un." Diedara said as he sat down next to her.

"That's just wrong…what he did, I wouldn't even stoop to that level." Sasori spat as he crossed his arms.

"I think its best we leave it alone for now and get something to eat." Konan said when she emerged from the kitchen with food in hand.

"I agree." Pein said, popping his elbows up on the table. That was it; no one spoke through the rest of breakfast. Midori took the medicine as she was told and everyone met in Leader's office after Kisame went to the brig to retrieve Itachi.

Midori stood between Hidan and Pein as Kisame forced Itachi to his knees. Midori moved closer to Hidan as Itachi looked up at her. She was terrified of him but kept her composure for Pein and Hidan's sake.

"What the fuck am I going to do with you?" Pein asked as he stood from his chair. Itachi said nothing, he just stared at Midori; watching her cling to Hidan's arm. "All I want to know is why you did it?"

Itachi looked from Midori to Pein and sighed. "I was jealous. I wanted Midori to love me like she does Hidan…I wanted her to see that I was the better man. I was wrong. There, I said it you can kill me now."

Pein moved around his desk and pulled a kunai from his cloak. "As you wish," he said as he pulled Itachi's head back by the hair.

"I'm sorry." Itachi said as the kunai pressed against his throat.

"Leader-sama wait," Midori said as she stepped away from Hidan. "Let him live."

"He raped you thus breaking the deal with your father and fiancée…and you want him to live? You can't go home now, so why let him live?" Pein questioned as he looked at her as is she were crazy.

"I understand what it means and I know for a fact that you need Uchiha-san for you missions, so why not let him live with humiliation of getting his ass kicked by a girl and four other men." She said as she crossed her arms. Pein chuckled at her words.

"I see your point." He said as he let go of Itachi. "I'll be watching you…personally." Pein whispered in Itachi's ear. Itachi gulped and nodded at Pein's words.

"I understand sir." Suddenly, Midori was falling but before she could hit the floor, Hidan caught her.

"Time for bed sweetie," Hidan said as he hefted her and walked out of the room. Then he walked back in with a glaring Midori in his arms.

"Uchiha, understand this," she hissed as Itachi turned to look at her. "If you so much as graze me…I'll hand you over to Hidan for one of his rituals." Then they were gone.


	7. Chapter 7

I Understand Now

(WRANING: This chapter contains a lemon. You have been warned…)

She slept for a long time; nine hours straight to be exact but Hidan never left her side. He wanted to be the first thing she saw when she woke up and so, he stayed with her. Watching, waiting, he had fallen for her…and hard. He knew that now but did she feel the same way? At this point, Hidan could only hope she did. And since she couldn't go back, that meant she could potentially stay with him. While all of this rolled around in his mind, Hidan watched her sleeping form, sending silent prayers to Jashin-sama to let her stay with him.

Midori woke up to find Hidan sleeping next to her, facing her as he did when he was awake. She smiled affectionately at him and raised her hand to touch him. Midori stroked his cheek with the back of her hand, smiling more as he leaned into her touch.

"Wake up…sweetie…miss you…" he said in his sleep which made her smile more.

"I'm up, it's time for you to get up." She whispered then leaned forward and kissed his cheek. Suddenly, Hidan grabbed her waist and pulled her closer.

"I won't…let anything…happen…to you…" he sighed as he nuzzled her hair. Midori giggled at his sleepy antics and hugged him. Soon though, Midori found her self getting tired again and closed her eyes.

'_Funny how a few weeks with a man I barely know can completely change my perspective. What is this feeling in my chest whenever I'm with him? Mother, please tell me what's going on.' _Midori prayed as she drifted back to sleep.

Deidara walked in after no one answered his incessant knocks and stopped. Hidan had Midori in a death grip and wasn't letting go. The same could be said for Midori, she gripped Hidan's clock as if afraid he would leave her.

"That's just too cute, un." He said as he leaned against the dresser.

"What's going on in here?" Sasori asked as he walked up behind Deidara.

"Shush, they're sleeping." Deidara whispered. Sasori looked around Deidara and stared.

"Ha, I knew it. They're in love." Sasori teased.

"You two, get out now or I'm going to throw you out." Hidan said as he opened his eyes and glared at them.

"Leader-sama said it was diner time. Um…he was expecting Midori-chan to be there but she's still sleeping, un." Deidara said, backing up a little.

"I'm up. Can someone get me an aspirin, I have a headache." Midori said as she rubbed her eyes.

"Do you think you can walk?" Hidan asked in the sweetest voice Midori had ever heard. She looked up at him and smiled, locking her brown eyes on his maroon ones.

"I can try but I can't guarantee anything." She answered. Hidan nodded and let her go to help her stand. Midori wobbled a little at first but soon gained her composure as she walked down the hall. She looked in a mirror and fixed her hair before entering the dining room only to find Zetsu sitting in her normal seat. She looked to Pein and saw him pat the spot next to him, which meant the she would be seated between him and Hidan.

"Good evening Lady Midori, I trust you slept well." Konan said as Midori took her seat across from her.

"Like a rock." Midori answered with a tiny blush as she glanced at Hidan. "How was your day?"

"Fantastic, now that I know that you're better." Konan said as she smiled at Midori then at Hidan. "Do you want to go shopping tomorrow, if you feel up to it?" Midori's eyes lit up.

"Sure, I'd love to." She answered with a grin. Tobi set dinner on the table and sat down. Deidara walked over to Midori and handed her the aspirin she'd asked for moments ago.

"Are you alright?" Pein asked as he watched her take the medicine.

"I'm fine, just a headache." She answered.

The rest of the night went off without a hitch. Itachi and Midori stayed away from each other and Hidan kept his anger in check when Itachi was around. All-in-all, the night was perfect.

Midori was up with the sun and watched Hidan perform his blood ritual for Jashin-sama. She wanted to ask him so many questions about it; like 'why isn't he dead?' and 'does it hurt?' but she kept her questions at bay so he could concentrate. When he was done, Midori handed him a towel then went to meet Konan for breakfast.

"Good morning." Midori greeted everyone as she walked into the dining room. Kisame looked up at her and smiled

"Hey, kiddo, how did you sleep?" he asked as he grinned at her.

"Fine, thanks for asking." She answered as she took her seat. "What are you grinning about?" Midori asked, raising a brow at him. They were planning something, she could feel it.

"Nothing, nothing at all," Kisame answered, still smiling at her.

"If you say so…" she said as she dismissed the feeling. Hidan walked in and sat next to her.

"Morning sweetie, sleep good?" he whispered in her ear. Midori giggled a little.

"Yes I did, you?" she whispered back. Hidan nodded and grabbed his glass of orange juice. "Kisame…you're staring." Midori said as Hidan looked in his direction.

"Sorry, my bad," Kisame said as he cleared his throat. Soon, everyone was seated and ready to eat. Konan set the food on the table and sat down in her seat.

"We'll leave after breakfast." She said then started eating. Midori nodded as she took a bit of some fruit.

"So…are you two dating or am I just imagining things?" Kisame asked in the middle of breakfast. Midori almost choked on her bacon as she looked at Hidan. He shrugged at the question and looked at Midori.

"I guess you could say that." He answered as he looked to Kisame.

"Why the hell not," Midori said then clapped her hands over her mouth. "My goodness, how unladylike of me…Hidan, I think we hang out way too much." She sighed as she looked at him. He started laughing, laughing at the blush the spread across her face, laughing at how cute she looked when she was embarrassed. But he laughed more for her choice of words.

"I love your choice of words there sweetie." Hidan said as he tried to calm down.

"You're one to talk…_sweetie_." She shot back causing everyone to start up in a fit of giggles.

"Are you ready to go?" Konan asked as she stood.

"Yeah," Midori answered as she stood. She kissed Hidan on the cheek and gently squeezed his shoulder. "See you later."

Most of their morning was uneventful as they walked the streets of the nearby village. They didn't say much due to the fact that they weren't very close.

"So you and Hidan huh…?" Konan asked as they stopped for lunch in a tea house.

"I guess so. Well, yeah." Midori answered then took a sip of her tea while they waited.

"Look, I'm not here to tell you who you can and can't see. Ha, listen to me talking about relationships when mine isn't what it used to be." Konan said as he stared into her cup.

"You like Leader-sama, don't you?" Midori asked as she leaned forward with a grin on her lips.

"Well, ok…yes I do but it's more than that. I've known Pein all my life and we've barely had a relationship since we formed the organization." Konan admitted with a frown.

"I can't tell you what you should do, I've only scratched the surface of what I feel for Hidan…and to tell you the truth, even if I could go home I'm not so sure I'd want to at this point." Midori said as she picked up her cup and took another drink.

"What's it like…being an heiress I mean?" Konan asked as she too, leaned forward in her seat.

"Very strict, I'm not allowed to do a lot of things. Dating is off limits because my husband has already been chosen for me. I'm not allowed to leave the grounds without an armed guard and talking to villagers is strictly prohibited." Midori answered, changing her voice to sound like her father. Konan smiled at her.

"That's just stupid. You won't know what the world is like unless you experience it. What does your mother have to say about it?"

"I wouldn't know she died when I was seven." Midori answered as she set her empty cup down.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." Konan apologized as she sat back. "Would you like to talk about it?" she asked when she noticed Midori's sad face.

"I don't remember much about her, I can barely remember what she looked like. The one thing I do remember about her is whenever I was upset; I could always talk to her about it. Now that she's gone…I have no one." Midori said pouring herself another cup of tea.

"She sounds like a great woman." Konan commented.

"My step mother on the other hand, not so much. I think she hates me." Midori said after she took a sip of her tea.

"Why do you say that?" Konan questioned.

"Ever since my brother was born, she just seemed to not care. Like this one time when I went for a walk and this really big storm came in, my guard and I got separated. She didn't care whether or not I died." Midori spat as she looked at Konan.

"I know how you feel, when my father remarried…my stepmother abandoned me. I lived with Pein on the streets since then. And now, we have the Akatsuki and our own band of misfits." She said with a small smile.

"They're your family now…maybe when this is over, I could be apart of it too."

"Well, I certainly hope you do. I like having another girl around and besides, you've made Hidan so happy these last few weeks. The money's due in nine days, we'll figure out what to do then. Maybe I can talk Pein into letting you stay." Konan said putting a finger to her chin. "Hey, what did you buy at that shop back there?"

Midori looked in the bag next to her and pulled out a little box. "It's a charm necklace with my name on it. If I can't stay, at least Hidan will have a little piece of me close to his heart." She said with a cheesy grin. Konan thought the gesture was rather cute and smiled at the girl.

"What are your feelings for Hidan, if you don't mind my asking?"

"I haven't quit figured that out yet. I like him…really, really like him. But I'm not sure if it's lust or love." Midori admitted with a frown.

"Well, how does he make you feel?" she prodded.

"He makes me laugh, that's for sure. Hidan has this little thing he does when he's confused, he tilts his head to the side and scrunches his nose. I feel like there's a band of angry butterflies raising hell in my stomach whenever he gets really close to me and I sleep better when he's in the room." Midori explain as best she could, hoping Konan could decipher what she was trying to say.

"Aw…love is in the air. I think its love." Konan said leaning forward again.

"You really think so?" Midori asked. "Because I love Akira but he doesn't make me feel the way Hidan does."

"That's a different kind of love. What you feel for Akira is a strong friendship but when it comes to Hidan…there's more to it. Let me ask you a serious question…if you could restart everything, would you still give Hidan directions back to the motel?" Midori thought about it for a good five minutes before answering.

"Yes, yes I would." She answered with a tiny smile remembering the time they met.

"There you go. Now, all you have to do is tell him how you feel." Konan chimed as she crossed her arms.

"But…what if he doesn't feel the same way? What if he just likes me because I'm worth a lot of money?" Midori asked as she balled her napkin and tossed it against the wall.

"Are you blind or something? Hidan doesn't care about money, that's Kakuzu. Why do you think Hidan wanted to kill Itachi after he raped you? It's because he loves you. I know for a fact that he does." Konan about yelled at the girl across from her. Midori stared wide-eyed at Konan, letting her words sink in. She bowed her head and nodded.

"Wait, what?" she said as her head shot up.

"Nothing, you'll have to find out for yourself." Konan said as she looked away. Midori huffed but left it alone. Then the two women went back to base, tired from walking the busy streets.

Hidan sat outside on the ground, waiting for Kakuzu. Yet another bounty collected for the pair. Not that they needed the money at the moment, Leader-sama felt that it would come in handy…just in case. Hidan was bored out of his skull and tired from beating the hell out of the guy they just killed. The stench of blood was in the air; the coppery-wet smell that made Hidan smile. He let out a sigh as his mind wandered over the events of the past three, almost four, weeks.

Everything from first meeting Midori to that night Itachi rapped her, everything. This is what he was thinking about now and what he felt for her; the confusing happiness that wound its way around his heart. Hidan had only discovered the feeling's true meaning just the other day, to his surprise. He had to be told what it was because he had never experienced it before.

"Do you think Midori will accept your feelings in return?" Kakuzu asked as he stepped out the silo's side door. The two men have talked about this before…neither one were exactly sure how Midori felt, but they had an idea.

Hidan sighed and stood. "She better…I'd be really pissed if she said no." he said as he and his partner started their trek back to base. "What do you think?"

Kakuzu scratched his head. "Look, I don't know anything about this love bullshit…but I guess, if she likes you, she'll tell you." He answered as he looked at Hidan. "You'll have to tell her how you feel and go from there. Now, quit bugging me about it and just do it."

"Yeah, you're right. Sorry for bugging ya'." Hidan said as he turned his gaze sky-ward and sighed. _'Please, say yes…please.'_

"Excellent work, another ten million for the books," Pein said as he made a note in his book. "There will be a meeting tomorrow morning, be sure to be on time for this one." He dismissed them with the wave of a hand.

Hidan went to find Midori but was stopped by Konan.

"Don't mess this up, her heart is a fragile one." She stated plainly but Hidan got the message, loud and clear. He nodded to her and let her pass. Making his way upstairs, Hidan stopped in front of the door and steeled himself…just in case.

Midori was lying on her stomach, reading some journal while she lazily kicked her feet as she turned the page. Hidan quietly walked in and closed the door. He leaned against the dresser, watching her read as he smiled softly at her.

"Did you miss me sweetie?" he asked playfully. Midori shot off the bed and flung herself into his arms.

"You bet I did. I had to put up with Deidara and Tobi fighting…again." She said as she hugged him.

"Hey, uh…can I talk to you about something?"

"Sure." She answered as she led him to the bed. They sat down and stared at each other for a moment.

"I, uh, I'm not sure how to say this…" he said as he fidgeted with his cloak, looking down at the bedspread that seemed so fascinating at the moment.

Midori placed and hand on his cheek, gently forcing him to look at her as she smiled. "Go ahead and say it, you don't have to feel uncomfortable around me." She urged as her thumb caressed his skin.

Hidan took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Here goes nothing. Midori-chan, I-I like you. I'm not quit sure if its love but I…I really like you." Midori's mouth dropped open as her hand slipped from his cheek. _'Smooth move dumbass…she probably thinks you're crazy now.' _He thought as he watched her expression. Suddenly, Midori threw her arms around his neck as she giggled into his neck.

"I like you too Hidan. As a matter of fact, Hidan…I believe I love you." She said as she looked him in the eyes. Hidan was so surprised by her confession; he almost didn't think it was real. That is until she kissed him…on the lips. Up until then, she would kiss his cheek but now…this kiss was completely different. And he responded by wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. Midori smiled at him as she pulled back. "I want to give you something." She whispered and freed herself from his warm grasp.

"I'm not really big on surprises." Hidan said as Midori rifled through her bag and pulled out a small box.

"I think you'll like it." Midori said as she tossed it to him. "Go ahead, open it." She urged. Hidan shot her a skeptical look before opening the leather box in his hands. Inside was the charm necklace the Midori showed Konan that afternoon. "If I can't stay…at least you'll have a little piece of me close to your heart." Midori said as Hidan flipped the necklace over, reading the inscription. One side had her name on it and the other was inscribed with the 'love' kanji.

Hidan stood and slipped the necklace over his head then slipped off his Jashin pendent.

"It's not much but…it'll protect you when I'm not around." He said as he moved closer to her and placed it around her neck. Midori looked it over then smiled up at him. They hugged briefly then Midori went to shower while Hidan went to get something to eat.

When Hidan returned, he found Midori sitting on the bed, still in her bath robe.

"Is something wrong?" he asked as he sat down with her.

Midori sighed as she turned to look at him. "Well," she started, fidgeting with the necklace he had given her. "There is something else I wanted to give you but….Itachi kind of already took that from me…" Midori trailed as her gaze met his. The wheels in Hidan's head were spinning a thousand miles a minute.

'_Did she just say…what I think she said?' _his mind questioned. He was brought out of his thoughts when Midori placed her hand on his. Hidan blinked a few times then focused his attention on the big brown eyes staring at him.

"Please Hidan; make me forget what he did to me." She pleaded in a soft voice.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, we don't have to if you don't want,"

"Hidan please." She interrupted with a plea. "I want to forget Itachi's filthy hands on me." And Hidan obliged by pulling her close and kissing her gently. Midori moaned into his kiss and pulled herself closer to him as Hidan turned them towards the bed.

"Well then," he snickered as he pushed her gently on the bed and lightly pulled at her robe. "I'll just make you scream my name so he can hear you." Hidan sneered as he yanked her robe apart to reveal her smooth, soft skin.

Midori blushed as he gazed at her body. She was toned yet feminine as she shivered under his warm breath. Her long legs quivered with anticipation, flat belly contracting under his hands. Slowly, his hands trailed over her skin leaving a burning heat in its wake.

"H-Hidan…" she moaned as his hands came to rest on her thighs. He gently pushed her legs apart and settled between them after he removed his pants.

"It's going to hurt some…but I promise I'll go easy on you." Hidan cooed in Midori's ear. She nodded slowly and tried to relax. Slowly, Hidan entered her sweet folds, pausing when she gasped and clawed his back in pain. "Are you ok? I can stop if you want." He asked as he gazed at her clinched eyes and locked jaw. Midori let out a small sigh and opened her eyes.

"N-no, keep going." She stuttered with a small smile. "It's just…well, you're bigger than him." Hidan grinned at her words, chuckling softly as he shook his head. Midori let out a soft moan, biting her lower lip. Hidan cocked an eyebrow as if to ask 'what?' Catching the slight grin on his lips, Midori smiled a little more. "That felt weird…but in a good way." There was a slight blush on her cheeks as she looked into his maroon eyes. And she was lost in them. Pulling Hidan closer to her chest, Midori brought her lips to his, gently brushing them as he sighed in contentment.

"Do you still hurt?" he asked softly. Midori shook her head a little and brought her hands up, wrapping her arms around his neck. Hidan nodded and ever-so-gently pulled back and slowly rocked forward. He watched as Midori's eyes slowly closed, lips parting slightly as a moan escaped her throat. Her fingers laced through his hair as Hidan picked up the pace, earning slightly louder and more passionate moans from the woman under him. To say he was pleased when her fingers dug into the back of his neck was the understatement of the century.

Midori arched her back, allowing Hidan to push deeper. Her breath hitched as she gasped, digging her nails deeper into his flesh. Hidan stopped, worried that he hurt her.

"Sorry, did that hurt?" he cooed as he stared down at her sweaty body. Midori's eyes opened, revealing a glare.

"If you don't continue, I'll hurt more than just your pride." She growled. Hidan smirked but continued nonetheless.

Her breath came in heavy gasps, moaning louder as she repeatedly called his name. She was coming closer to her climax as a burning heat pooled in her lower abdomen. Her nails tore into his flesh much to Hidan's liking. Said masochist, bit his lip as he bucked harder moaning her name. Suddenly, Hidan reared back and slammed into her bruising flesh. Midori's quivering walls clamped down around his member, pure ecstasy spread across her face as one word poured from her lips.

"HIDAN!"

Both of them collapsed as they rode out the waves of orgasm. Hidan's bleeding back took a back seat at the moment as he watched Midori huff and puff after their…strenuous exercise. Soon enough, Midori was zonked out, clutching his hand close to her heart. Hidan sighed.

"If you can't stay, I'll make sure to see you again sweetie." He whispered before sleep overtook his exhausted body.

**A/N: **Yeah, not too excited about this chapter…too mushy for my taste. So, in the next chapter…you'll get to see what Lord Takeda and Akira have been up to plus, Midori starts training. See you guys next time and thanks for the reviews. Don't miss 'A World Away.'


	8. Chapter 8

A World Away

Akira sat by the window, much as he had since Midori's disappearance. Not only did he miss her, Akira had gone out on his own to search for her. Although, he had no luck, Akira never gave up. But tonight, Akira just sat down and stared at the sky.

The money was ready to go, albeit three weeks early. Akira was willing to do anything to get her back. Lord Takeda on the other hand…

'_Is it me or is Lord Takeda a little…unworried? Kamui seems too calm…even after loosing his eldest to the most dangerous men in the world.'_

Akira was a little weary of the fiancé's father. What really irked Akira was the fact that Kamui had been spending more time with his son and not trying to find his daughter? This didn't make any sense to him. The first born held a higher regard than any other child, no matter if it was male or female.

'_I'll contact the Leaf village and ask for assistance. Better yet, I'll go there myself. If Lord Takeda won't do anything to help Midori…then I'll do it myself.'_ He thought as he moved from the window. Akira sat on the side of his bed, lightly thumbing a sliver picture frame.

The picture in question was that of Midori and himself during the winter festival, bundled tightly together to fend off the cold air that swept over them. Wide grins slipped across their lips as the camera man said something about them looking warmer than the rest of the citizens. Midori's brown eyes hidden by long lashes as her eyes and lips creased into a grin.

Akira's fingers lightly traced the outline of her lips, remembering the time he kissed her in the moonlight. He was loosing his patience with the current situation. Akira had no idea if she was alright. But he swore to the heavens that if they hurt her, he would make sure they paid.

"Soon, vey soon, you'll be where you belong; by my side…always." He spoke to her image. Akira stood and set the picture on the nightstand. He walked over to the calendar and crossed off another day. "Eight days left." He whispered then turned off the light.

It was warm, so warm, when Midori began to wake. The comfort and security of Hidan's arms made her feel wanted and safe. Never had she felt so peaceful then when she was close to Hidan. Midori found out (from a very nosey Deidara) that Hidan had liked her from the beginning, which gave her courage to tell him how she felt.

Hidan snored softly behind her, making Midori snicker. She turned in his arms and smiled at him. 'Serenity' was the first word to come to mind as her eyes studied his relaxed face. Carefully, Midori raised her hand and stroked his cheek. Hidan sighed softly and nuzzled closer to her as his grip around her waist slightly tightened. Midori curled up against his chest and closed her eyes, letting his heartbeat lull her back to sleep.

An hour or so later, Midori woke up to the unmistakable sound of metal cutting flesh. She sat up and wrapped the sheets around her as she watched Hidan's naked form for the rest of his ritual.

"You have a meeting with Leader-sama in ten minutes." Midori said as Hidan stood to clean himself.

He stopped moving and turned to her. "I completely forgot about that." Midori smiled and helped him clean up before getting dressed. They walked to Leader's office together then Midori went to the kitchen to make breakfast.

Akira waited patiently outside Tsunade's office. He had arrived just an hour before and apparently the Godaime Hokage was up to her neck in paperwork. Suddenly, the doors to her office opened and out walked Tsunade herself and the Kazekage.

"Master Matsumoto, what brings you to my office?" Tsunade asked as she shook Akira's hand.

"Terrible news, I'm afraid. I would like to speak with you in private." He answered.

"And what does it concern, may I ask?"

Akira's eyes narrowed dangerously. "It's about the Akatsuki."

"I'd like to hear this, Suna may be of assistance." The Kazekage said.

"You're right Gaara-sama. Please gentlemen, have a seat." Tsunade urged as she turned and strode purposefully back into her office. After a few tense minutes, Tsunade took out a small bottle of sake and offered it to the men in her office. "Please tell us what has happened that involves the Akatsuki."

Akira sighed then drank his sake in one gulp. "My fiancée is being held as ransom by the Akatsuki. They want 25 million from both my self and her father. I have my half ready to go but I don't think Lord Takeda is going to pay. Also, he stated that he would kill them when they delivered Midori." He said as his gaze trailed from Tsunade to Gaara then to the floor, utterly disgusted by his own words.

'_This doesn't look good for Midori.' _Gaara thought as several scenarios played around in his mind. All of which involved the girl ending up dead.

"Unfortunately, there isn't anything we can do until the money has been delivered." Tsunade stated as she crossed her arms over her large chest. "When is the money due and where will it be dropped off?"

"It's due is seven days but the location won't be known until the night before." Akira answered as he finally looked up. Tsunade nodded softly.

'_Bastards certainly know how to keep you on your toes.' _She thought grimly. "Alright, we'll send a team with you. They will be briefed and sent to your hotel to meet with you this afternoon."

"Thank you Hokage-sama, Kazekage-sama, I am indebted to you." Akira smiled as he stood and shook their hands. He soon left and went to his hotel.

"Who will you send?" Gaara asked as the door shut behind Akira.

"Team 7 is out of the question. The Akatsuki will be looking for Naruto, and Sasuke could endanger the mission on his quest for vengeance. Shikamaru, Neji and Ino would be best for the mission." She stated plainly as she rifled through her desk for another bottle of sake.

"Don't you think Sakura would be better suited for this mission?" Gaara asked as he stood and walked toward the window.

"You absolutely right, but on the off chance that Naruto or Sasuke, especially Sasuke, get wind of this particular mission…but then again, we can't afford any dead shinobi. I'll send Sakura instead of Ino. Who will you send?" she asked as she stood to join his by the window.

"Temari would be best suited for this mission. She may have never dealt with the Akatsuki before, but I believe in her skills."

"Then it's settled. I'll send for them immediately." Tsunade said with a curt nod.

Breakfast was…eventful. What, with everyone making snide remarks about a certain brown haired girl screaming at the top of her lungs the night before. Midori sat at the table with her hands in her lap, trying yet failing to hide the crimson blush on her cheeks.

"It didn't sound all that convincing to me." Itachi said as crossed his arms over his chest. Midori's head shot up, eye narrowing to slits.

"Well, I had a great time and besides, Hidan's bigger than you…if you know what I mean." And the room was stunned to silence. No one had ever dared to talk back to the fearsome Uchiha before. Yet this complete stranger who was being held for ransom just did.

Then there was a snicker that turned to giggles which lead to full blown laughter…all of which came from Pein. Midori was still glaring at Itachi when Pein put a hand on her shoulder, trying to stifle his laughter and get into serious mode.

"I need…to talk to…you." He finally got out after several attempts. She in turn, looked at Pein and smiled.

"To the office then?" she asked, watching Pein bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. They left the snickering band of misfits behind and headed for the peace and quiet of the office.

"Wench…" Itachi hissed as the disappeared from sight and was suddenly hit in the head with a biscuit. He turned to see Sasori glaring at him.

"You don't have the right to speak as such about her…rapist." Sasori said in an emotionless voice. Kakuzu started the beating pool as soon as the two men stood and walked outside.

Pein and Midori sat in his office after another laughing spell had died down, Pein looked at her seriously.

"I've noticed that you've been reading medical jutsu books as of late. I was wondering if you would be interested in staying on as a medic." Pein said as he leaned forward in his chair. For a second, Midori didn't register what he said; she just stared blankly at him.

"Ooh, of course Pein-sama. But I don't know the first thing about being a shinobi." She answered meekly.

"The guys can teach you everything you need to know. Kisame and Sasori will teach you chakra control. Kakuzu and Hidan will teach you taijutsu. My self and Konan will teach you ninjutsu and I will personally supervise your lessons in genjutsu with Itachi." Pein said as he stood. Midori was a little worried about her lesson with Itachi but knew Pein would keep him in check. "Do you have any questions?"

"When do we start?" she asked with a grin.

"Your first lesson with Kisame and Sasori starts in twenty minutes. Konan has some training clothes for you. Don't be late, Sasori hates waiting."

Sakura sat down; a little worried about the mission.

'_There holding her for ransom? Why does none of this make sense?' _she questioned. As if able to read her mind, Shikamaru stepped forward.

"Hokage-sama, it seems a little far-fetched that they would take an important figure just for ransom. Did Master Matsumoto say anything else?"

Tsunade sighed. "If you want more information, you'll have to ask him. This isn't the time to sit around and make guesses as to why they really took her. All I know is, their marriage is supposed to keep the Water and Fire countries from going to war with each other." She said as her lips pressed to a thin line. "Though I highly doubt the Akatsuki know the circumstances of the marriage as they have asked for 25 million from Akira-san and the Daimyo."

There was a long pause as the information sunk in.

"The only question left to ask is: will the Daimyo pay his half?" Neji said as he pulled his ANBU mask off his shoulder.

"Your mission is as follows; you are to accompany Master Matsumoto back to the Daimyo's palace. Once you are there, work out a strategy to get Midori-sama back. But you must remain hidden, the Daimyo doesn't know that Matsumoto-sama has sought out help." Tsunade said as she looked over the assembled group. "Temari will be your contact-nin, Shikamaru; you are the Jonin leader and mission head. If the mission gets out of hand you are all expected to report back." With a wave of the hand, they were dismissed.

Midori lay in the grass, panting heavily. They had been at it for three hours now and already, Midori had all but mastered her chakra control.

"Alright squirt, we'll take a break." Kisame said as walked over to her. "Not bad, you learn quickly." Midori smiled up at him and sat up. She fixed her shirt before standing up.

'_Why are her shirts so short on me?' _she thought as Kisame and Sasori walked back inside for a moment.

Midori wore the Akatsuki pants; dingy blue pants with the unmistakable whit stirrups over the darker blue ninja sandals. Due to Midori's longer torso, the pants sat lower on her hips, exposing her flat belly. The shirt did little to cover her as well. The fishnet shirt stopped just above her navel and the black tank-top over that, stopped just an inch higher. It looked comfortable but Midori was very self conscience.

"Oi, Midori-chan, are you coming in for lunch or are you going to stay out there, un?" Deidara asked from the door way. Midori turned sharply and walked quickly into the building.

When she entered the building, her eyes immediately caught Itachi's gaze as his eyes roamed over her body. She scoffed and pushed passed him to take her place at the table.

"Well hot damn!" Hidan shouted as he walked into the dining room, grinning widely at Midori. She, in turn, blushed and smacked her head on the table. "Aw, did I embarrass you?" he cooed in her ear as he sat down. Midori nodded into the table.

"Eat up while it's hot." Konan called from the kitchen then she and Tobi emerged and took their places at the table.

Akira didn't have to wait long for the assigned group. All four of them showed up not thirty minutes after he had arrived at the hotel.

"Please, have a seat. I was told that I would meeting the team that will help me…I just never expected you all so soon." Akira said as he let them into his room.

Did I say room? I meant palace. The Hyuga clan main house could have easily fit in Akira's 'hotel room'. The team looked around and just couldn't believe how lavish it was. Carpeted floors, red oak trim…everywhere and not to mention expensive paintings and sculptures lined almost every wall.

'_Ha, and I thought my mom's nick-knacks were bad.' _Shikamaru thought as Akira led them to the drawing room.

"Missions appointed directly by the Hokage take priority over everything, Master Matsumoto." Sakura said as the group sat down.

"I'm sure you have some questions for me, so please, ask away." Akira said, leaning back in an over-sized chair.

"Why else would the Akatsuki want Lady Midori?" Temari asked bluntly. Information was critical at this point; no sense in beating around the bush.

"I'm sure you're all aware that Midori is the daughter of Daimyo Lord Takeda, thus making her a prime target for assassins and thugs. Unfortunately, she was also used to make a peace treaty between the Fire Daimyo and my father, the Water Daimyo." Akira said with a sad smile.

"Used? What do you mean?" Shikamaru asked Neji nodded next to him.

"You see, Midori's mother was taken from the Land of Waves as a prisoner; she was one of the Governor's daughters. For peace between our nations, Midori must marry the Water Daimyo's son, me." Akira said with a heavy sigh. "If she and I are not wed, war will break out and Midori is to be beheaded on sight."

There was a collective gasp around him.

"Who ordered this?" Neji asked in a crisp, biting tone. Akira looked at him with sad eyes.

"Lord Takeda ordered her execution if she does not comply." All was quiet for a moment as everyone seemed to think the same thing.

'_She is screwed no matter what we do to help.'_

"There is one more thing. Now that Lord Takeda has a son, it doesn't matter what Midori does…Daimyo Takeda has already named Master Yoko his successor."

"When did all of this happen?" Sakura asked as she stared worriedly at Akira, who seemed to be at wits end.

"Just after her mother's death, fifteen years ago, the marriage itself, wasn't set until six years after that." He answered as he looked away.

"Does she know about this?" Temari asked as she crossed her arms and sat back.

"No." Akira replied softly.

Hidan watched as Midori worked with Sasori and Kisame to perfect her skills. She was progressing far faster than expected. Even Pein had taken time out of his _busy _schedule to see her work.

"I'm impressed. She's twenty-two, never fought a day in her life yet she's almost perfected chakra control in under seven hours." Pein said as he sat next to Hidan.

"I give her another hour before she does perfect it. Midori hasn't given up yet, so I think we can move to taijutsu tomorrow." Hidan said as he continued to watch.

Midori walked up to the tree again and looked at her goal; a thick branch about 150 off the ground. She focused her chakra to her feet then slowly took a step toward the tree. Planting one foot on the tree, Midori began walking up the side for the hundredth time that day.

Kisame and Sasori knew that she would make it this time. They could sense her chakra coming off in even waves and none of it was being wasted either.

"50 yen says she makes it this time." Kakuzu said from the door way.

"50 yen says she falls on her ass again, un." Deidara said as he stepped into the training yard.

"I did it!" Midori shouted down to the partially stunned group.

"We can see that, now get your ass down here." Kisame said as he looked up; a little proud that she had done it. Suddenly, she jumped but landed in a graceful crouch next to him. She beamed up at him but Kisame frowned. "And for giving me a heart attack just now, you have to run all the up the tree and back down in one minute."

"WH-WHAT?" she screeched.

"You hared me, get your ass up and back in one minute or less." Kisame said with a grin and pulled out a pocket watch. "Ready…go!" And she was half way up the tree in four seconds.

"My god, she's fast." Pein said as Midori sprinted to the top of the, picked a branch off the top and ran back down.

"I think my watch is broken." Kisame exclaimed as he tossed it over his shoulder. "You, my friend, have mastered chakra control that rivals my own."

"So does that mean you'll stop calling me squirt?" she asked as they walked back toward the building where Deidara was currently paying Kakuzu. Someone's stomach growled loudly.

"Oi, we need food." Hidan exclaimed loudly as he stood. He smiled at Midori who was talking with Pein about something. Pein was praising her for her work, letting her know that she would be moving on in her training tomorrow.

"Well then," Midori said as she turned to the group, ignoring a certain member completely. "I'll get started on dinner."

**A/N: **Alright, there you have it. In the next chapter, Midori starts training in Tai, Nin and Genjutsu. The team sent to help lays low for the next week, trying to figure out how to get Midori back, and why Lord Takeda had put a bounty on her head. Don't miss "Training in High Tide." 


	9. Chapter 9

Training in High Tide

Midori woke up early the next morning, unable to sleep and extremely sore. Stretching her aching muscles, Midori stalked into the bathroom and took a hot shower only to be joined by Hidan minutes later. He massaged her shoulders gently while whispering in her ear.

"If you're too tired, you don't have to train today. I'm sure Leader-sama will understand." He cooed as Midori leaned against him.

"I'll be fine; your hands are miracle workers. Besides, Leader-sama is expecting to see my progress for himself." She whispered back, gently placing her hands on his. Midori turned her head and looked Hidan in the eyes. She was lost the instant their eye met.

"You know," he started with a mischievous grin. "You are beautiful, as beautiful as myself…almost." He chuckled. Midori elbowed him in the gut then turned and shut off the water.

"Narcissistic ass!" she muttered as she stepped out of the shower. Midori walked back into the bedroom with a towel wrapped around her to find Kakuzu sitting on the chair in the corner.

"I'll let myself out." He said as he stood and walked toward the door.

"Are you trying to see my woman naked, Kakuzu-teme?" shouted a very irate and very naked Hidan when he entered the room.

"You have no shame." Commented his partner as he exited the room.

-xxx-

Midori, shinobi and medic-in-training, stood before Hidan and Kakuzu on the sand. She had been taught the perfect stance; left foot forward, right arm close to the body while the left was extended slightly forward. Once her body recognized it as perfect, it was immediately memorized.

Kakuzu half expected her to start complaining any minute now about needing a break, but much to his surprise, Midori stood firm…even with a black eye and a fat lip.

"I like your girlfriend; she can really take a beating." Kakuzu said as he cocked his head to the side.

"Too fucking bad, you can't have her." Hidan snapped as he stepped forward. It was his turn to fight Midori and he wasn't going to let up on her just because she was cute.

"Um…boys, you are aware that I'm right here?" she asked, watching the banter match between the two. Hidan's eyes softened when he looked at her; the confused look on her bruised and bloody face was hard to resist.

"Let's get the show on the road." Hidan said, taking a step toward her. Midori took the hint and began to circle around. "Get ready sweetie because I'm not going to hold back."

He charged her, swinging his fist around to clip her in the head but Midori ducked, swinging her hips as she dropped to the ground. Hidan suddenly found himself on his back looking up at a very shapely leg aimed for his face. His arms flew up automatically, protecting his face from the surprisingly powerful leg. Hidan forcibly pushed back then flipped backward, scrambling to his feet as Midori came at him with more vicious kicks and punches.

That's what Pein saw when he arrived with Konan and a basket full of food. Surprised was hardly the word he would have chosen for the moment. Midori was holding her own against Hidan. Let me rephrase that; she was giving him a run for his money.

Hidan got a hold of her arms and twisted her around so that her back was against his chest, much the way it was that morning in the shower. By this time, Midori was running on instinct, she dropped to the ground and forced her foot into his gut. Hidan stumbled back only to have Midori grab his arm and force him to the ground. He grinned up at her as she sat on his chest, panting heavily.

"Hey sweetie, we should try this sometime. I bet it'll be fun." Hidan snickered. Midori rolled her eyes but smiled at him.

"I believe I've won." She stated proudly, that is until Hidan rolled them over and pinned her arms.

"Seriously sweetie, you have to do better then that." Hidan said as he leaned toward her.

"Ahem!" Pein cleared his throat causing Hidan to snap to attention. "I believe Konan has prepared lunch for every one." Midori pushed herself up and sauntered over to her bag the Hidan got of her. She pulled out a book and flipped through the pages until her eyes rested on the passage she was looking for. To everyone's surprise, Midori started making hand signs. A green light emanated from her hands as she raised them to her face. Seconds later, the bruise was gone and all that remained was a spot of dried blood.

"Where did you learn to do that?" Konan asked as Midori sat down with the others in the sand. Midori handed her the book and smiled softly.

"I've memorized most of them already." She said as she picked up her chop sticks and dug into her bento box. Pein leaned over and skimmed the page.

"That's very detailed. That was in our library?" he asked as he went back to eating.

"Ha, it was written by the Godaime Hokage after she was named the Slug Sannin." Konan said as she handed the book back to Midori. Midori just shrugged and set the book down beside her as she ate.

-xxx-

"If you can knock Kakuzu to the ground, we'll move on in your training." Pein said as he, Konan and Hidan moved off to the side.

"Rules?" she asked as Kakuzu stretched his arms over his head.

"Chakra is allowed, but strictly Taijutsu." Pein said looking directly at Kakuzu. Both fighters fell into their stances and nodded. "Go!"

Kakuzu was fast, shimmering away in a blur of motion and appeared behind Midori.

"Shit," she mumbled as she dodged his fist and flipped away from him. He ran towards her again, his speed was once again, blinding. Midori had no time to escape. Instead, she took a direct kick to the ribs. She skidded across the sand, clutching her ribs; he broke at least three of them. _'Healing my self is against the rules, fuck!' _

Focusing her chakra to her feet, Midori sprinted to the right, looking for an opening. Kakuzu smirked under his mask and ran toward her again. This time, Midori skidded to a stop and swung her hips, sending a chakra infused kick to his head. Kakuzu grabbed her leg with both hands. Midori grinned and flipped backwards as her other leg wrapped around his neck. He landed on the ground with a thud and Midori sitting on his chest.

"Well done, Midori." Pein said as she rolled off of Kakuzu and began to heal her ribs. She coughed for a minute then sat up with a smile. "Take a break, we'll continue when you're ready." Midori nodded and fell back into the sand.

"Want some water?" Hidan asked as he flopped down next to her, handing her a canteen. Midori accepted it with a smile and downed it, wiping her chin when she finished.

"Thanks, Hidan-kun." She said as she sat up and leaned against him.

Suddenly, Hidan started laughing, throwing his head back in amusement. "Did you see the look on his face when he sat up? Fucking priceless," Midori giggled and stood, rubbing her left arm.

"I expected him to let go of my leg and push me back, but he didn't. I think he let me win." She whispered to Hidan. He, in turn, cocked an eyebrow and glanced at his partner.

"Kakuzu doesn't let people off easily, either he let you win or he just couldn't escape." Hidan said as he put his finger to his chin. "Oi, Kakuzu, did you let her win?" Hidan shouted as he stood.

"Technically no, had I pushed her back, she would have landed, charged and tackled me to the ground. I merely chose the lesser of two evils." Kakuzu replied as he put his robe back on. Midori nodded; that's what she had planned if he had pushed her away.

-xxx-

Midori read the scroll Pein had given her, consisting of various types of Ninjutsu. Though she had no real style of fighting, Midori was drawn to the earth and fire styles. Her mind tinkered with the prospect of combining them with the medical Ninjutsu that she read in the journals.

Sasori and Deidara had joined them about an hour ago, and were talking with Konan and Zetsu, who just happened to catch the final match between Midori and Kakuzu. Midori walked over to Sasori and smiled at him.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?" she asked politely. He nodded and they walked away from the others.

"Is something wrong?" he asked as they sat down in the sand. Midori shook her head.

"No, I wanted to ask your opinion on something." She said as she unrolled the scroll so he could see it. "I wanted to know if it was possible to mix some of these."

Sasori looked over the scroll and nodded. "With the right amount of chakra, anything is possible. You should try this," he stated while pointing to a fire bomb jutsu. "And this together, they complement each other." Sasori finished as he pointed to a whirlwind jutsu.

Midori nodded. "Is it possible to do that and a medical jutsu at the same time?" she asked looking up at him with quizzical eyes. He had to admit: the girl next to him was smart. Her mind was already working on jutsu though she hadn't learned any of the techniques yet.

'_Perfect chakra control and the mind of a genius…not a bad combo,' _he thought as he studied her. "What other jutsu did you have in mind?" he asked, watching her grin when she reached for her trusty book.

"There's a paralysis jutsu that I thought was very interesting. It's effective without actually coming into physical contact with the enemy." Midori said as she flipped to the required page and showed him.

'_Ok, forget the genius part; her mind is far beyond anything I can comprehend. She'll definitely give Itachi a run for his money and my money's on Midori.' _

"Alright, break's over. It's time to see what you can do." Pein said as he stood and dusted himself off. Midori closed the book and rolled up the scroll. Sasori helped her to her feet and wished her good luck before walking to the sidelines.

"Place your bets. I've got money on Leader-sama." Kakuzu said, holding out his hand to the others.

Sasori put 100 Ryo in his hand and chuckled. "Midori, hands down." He said then turned back to the fight. Hidan, being the man he is, put money on his girlfriend and smiled.

"I'm with Sasori. She is going to kick his ass." Hidan turned back to Midori and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Kick is ass Midori-chan."

Grabbing a kunai she barrowed from Deidara, Midori began to circle Pein. She focused her chakra and let it swirl through her body, waiting for the chance to push him back far enough.

'_Ok, close combat until I'm able to get him far enough away to perform this jutsu.' _ She thought as Pein began to move.

He charged, not giving her an opportunity to think any farther ahead. Pein came at her with a kunai in hand. He swiped at her but Midori sidestepped and lunged at him, punching him in the ribs. Pein jumped back a few feet and smiled.

"Don't hold back. You're a medic; whatever you do can be fixed." He told her as he made a few hand signs. The sky above began to darken, thick clouds rolled overhead as a wave of thunder rippled through the air above her. Midori nodded and readied herself.

"It's now or never." She mumbled to herself and charged Pein. She flipped forward and into the air, bringing the kunai down to strike Pein. He blocked as expected causing a sly smirk to cross her young features. Midori focused her chakra to her right foot and pushed Pein back. With a quick spin, her foot collided with his shoulder causing an audible, violent snap. Pein skidded across the sand, grunting in pain when he stopped.

"Damn it." He spat as he stood only to find Midori using a string of hand signs he didn't recognize.

"Katon Seika no Jutsu!" Midori's voice rang out over the crashing waves behind her.

"Oh fuck me…" Pein hissed as he tried to get away from the fire ball heading his way. But he soon realized that it was pointless as the fire surrounded him. It was hot, scorching, and so hot that it turned the sand around him into glass. Through the flickering flames he could see Midori's figure making another string of hand signs. _'I know that sign, but why are her hands blue?' _he thought, watching her grin a little.

"Kaze Anemone no Jutsu!" Midori yelled as she clapped her hands together. All Pein saw was a blue flash before he was hit, falling backwards and not being able to feel a thing.

"Pay up." Sasori said as he held out his hand. He smirked as the rain clouds dissipated from the lack of chakra being pumped into them. "Pein didn't even get the chance to use his jutsu on her. As I said: Midori, hands down."

The fire died down and Midori rushed over to Pein. She sat him up and pushed a pressure point on his back, between his shoulder blades. Pein gasped then relaxed. Midori checked his shoulder then popped it back into place.

"How does that feel?" she asked, sitting back to study him.

"Better." He answered, still amazed that she had been able to knock him down. "You pass. Tomorrow you'll train with Itachi." He said then stood. It was a shaky move but he managed to get to his feet and walk over to the others. She stood with him and walked over to her bag. Midori picked it up and walked back to the group.

"That was awesome Midori-chan, un." Deidara exclaimed as he jumped up and down. Midori just smiled and walked back to base where she began to make dinner. Thoroughly exhausted, Midori took a shower and went to bed early that night.

~xxx~

Hidan woke her up the next morning by tickling her until she nearly peed herself. She glared at him when she emerged from the bathroom but smile nonetheless.

"So, you're training with shit-face today?" he asked when she sat down on the bed, watching him perform his rituals.

"Yes, but Leader-sama is going to be supervising." She answered with a chuckle. Midori knew Itachi was afraid of Pein and the fact that Itachi had been avoiding everyone like they had the plague was amusing to her. "Do you want to come too?" she asked as Hidan stood and wiped the blood from his chest.

"Of course I'm coming. I'm not leaving you alone with him…even if Leader-sama is there." He spat, images of what had happened to her the last time she was alone with Itachi flashed through his head. "If he tries anything, I'll sacrifice his sorry ass to Jashin-sama!" he snapped. Midori sighed.

"He's not worth it. I highly doubt Jashin-sama would want his tainted blood." She stated with a wave of her hand. "And by no means am I defending the bastard. I just wouldn't want you to dishonor Jashin-sama with his foul aura." Hidan smiled suddenly, tilting his head to the side.

"The next time I pray to Jashin-sama, I'll be sure to mention you." He whispered, his husky voice carrying to her ears. Midori shivered slightly, he was using _that _voice. The infliction he normally used when he was making love to her. Though they shared only one night of blissful passion, Midori was sure that the rest of her life would be filled with more of those loving moments. She nodded slowly and stood from the bed. Standing on the balls of her feet, she kissed his cheek and smiled.

"Can I stab you the next time you perform your ritual?" she asked, watching his face slip into a huge grin.

"Sure thing sweetie." He answered. Then they left the comfort of their bedroom and walked to the dining room.

~xxx~

Itachi stood in a clearing, waiting for Midori and Pein to arrive. He heard about her training session with Pein from Zetsu and was looking forward to torturing her to the fullest extent…just to see what she would do. But soon, Itachi found that they weren't alone. The rest of the Akatsuki members decided that they wanted to see her in action against the Genjutsu master.

"You won't need to learn Genjutsu, just avoiding and breaking them. You shouldn't be in battle for long anyway." Pein said as they entered the clearing. Itachi leaned against a tree and sighed.

"Wonderful, why not turn this into a tea party?" he mumbled darkly as the group settled around the clearing.

"Dori-chan, be careful. His Sharingan isn't kids stuff, he could seriously hurt you." Hidan whispered in her ear. Midori nodded and squeezed his hand.

"I will." She whispered back with a small smile. Midori kissed his cheek and stepped away from him. "It's time." She stated and moved farther into the clearing. Itachi pushed himself off the tree and stood to greet her.

"He isn't going to teach you Genjutsu, only how to spot one and dispel it." Pein said as he walked towards them. Midori nodded and stood back to get into position. Pein looked at Itachi and frowned. "Hurt her and you're a dead man." He growled, receiving a nod from his subordinate.

They stood there for a moment, waiting for the go ahead from Pein to start. With a nod, Itachi activated the Sharingan and stepped forward.

"This is going to hurt…you more than me." Itachi said, his voice held no emotion, and his eyes were so cold despite the fiery crimson of the Sharingan.

He started off easy, to get her use to seeing different types of genjutsu. To which it was easy for her to break. After some hours, a rest was required so that both parties could recoup.

Pein walked over to Itachi and spoke softly.

"Let's see how well she does against your Tsukuyomi, just don't hurt her." He whispered while glaring at him. Itachi nodded and stood, watching Midori as she smiled at Hidan.

"Understood." He replied.

~xxx~

Midori stared Itachi down, wondering what lies behind those crimson eyes.

'_You know very well what lies behind them; he's done it once…he could repeat it.' _She scolded herself. She knew she was weak then but she was determined to be stronger now. Midori glared daggers at the memory of what he had done to her. She would break whatever spell he put her under; she would make damn sure of it.

"Are you ready, Midori-san?" he asked, his tone was as emotionless as the first time she met him. Midori's fists clinched.

"Hai, I'm ready." She answered as she relaxed her body.

"Look into my eyes." He stated calmly, almost eerily. "Tsukuyomi!" he breathed, barely above a whisper.

Midori was lost the moment she looked up into his crimson orbs. The Sharingan wheels spun at a blinding pace as she fell deeper into its spell. She began to feel weightless, as if her soul was leaving her body, which was the exact opposite. Midori was falling farther and farther into her mind, slipping past her more recent memories…all the way back to the ones she thought she had buried a long time ago.

Before she knew it, Midori was standing with Itachi in a far different setting. The sky held a blood red hue, the clouds and moon were darker than the shadows that Itachi bathed in and the trees were dead, dried up twisted branches seemed to pierce the reddened sky.

"In this realm I control time. What seems like hours here is only seconds in the real world." Itachi said as he turned away from her. "Let's start with your mother, shall we?"

Before Midori had time to comprehend what he was talking about, Midori's mother appeared. The chocolate-haired woman stood before her, smiling sweetly at Midori. She held out a hand to Midori.

"M-mother…?" Midori gasped as she reached out to touch her. Suddenly, Yakumo, her mother, started coughing violently. Yakumo sunk to her knees as blood seeped from her lips, much the way it did the day she died. "Mother?!" she screamed, running to her side. When Midori touched her, her hand went through Yakumo like she was a ghost.

"Is my illusion accurate?" Itachi asked as he turned to Midori, his crimson eyes shining in the darkness.

"W-what…?" she asked and looked up at him.

"In this world you will be haunted…by your memories." He said matter-of-factly and smiled softly at her horrified gaze. "Now, what's next?" he asked as he glared at Midori.

There was a flash behind Midori and she turned to see her father standing over her, a grim look on his strong features.

"If you hadn't been born, your mother wouldn't have gotten sick. Her death is your fault daughter." He said to her. Midori shook her head, trying desperately not to cry. "Your brother will take your place as head of the family." His words were harsh and uncaring as he glared down at her.

"You can't do that! I am the first born…" she started but he held up his hand, effectively shutting her up.

"You aren't even my daughter. My blood doesn't run in your veins. How dare you speak of such things?" he roared as he grabbed her by the collar of her shirt. "You were never my child!" Midori closed her eyes and let her tears fall. She thought she buried these memories a long time ago, but she thought wrong. He let her go and watched her slump to the floor.

Akira appeared next to her and held her hand. "He has the right to do as he wishes. Come with me; I can make the pain go away. Marry me and we can be happy together. You'll never have to deal with him again, please, be my wife." He pleaded. Midori shook her head; she didn't love him therefore she wouldn't hurt him by lying to him.

"I can't do that Akira." She whispered to him.

"You will marry me, whether you like it or not." He growled at her. Midori stared at him in shock; Akira was never like that before.

"You're just an illusion! Get the hell away from me!" she snapped and watched Akira shimmer away.

"Very good," Itachi said as he stepped toward her. "Now let's see if you can handle something a little more…terrifying." He smirked he looked her in the eyes. Midori felt herself gasp as he peered at her with angry crimson eyes.

"Dori-chan, Dori-chan, I need your help…I can't heal myself." Hidan said as he crawled to her. A number of kunai stuck out of his back as a trail of blood followed his broken body.

"H-Hidan…what happened to you?" she asked as she scrambled over to him.

"An ambush…everyone's dead." He said then started coughing. He held a hand to her cheek and smiled softly.

Midori began to cry, she couldn't tell if this was real or an illusion. "Don't talk," she chocked. "Try to relax while I heal you." A green light emanated from her hands and swept them over his body. Midori felt her heart sink to the deepest depths of her stomach; there was too mush damage and she wasn't skilled enough to heal everything wrong with him. "Oh, Kami-sama, why…why did this happen?" she cried, slumping forward and laying her head on his chest.

"Dori-chan, look at me." Hidan whispered. Midori did as she was told and wiped her tears away with the back of her hand.

"What is it Hidan-kun?" she asked as she leaned forward to hear him. Hidan let out a soft sigh and smiled.

"I love you." He whispered then took his last breath. Midori stared at him in shock.

"No, no, no, you can't die." She gasped as her tears sprung to life once again. Midori pulled his lifeless body onto her lap and cried against his cheek. "Don't leave me…you can't leave me alone with him. You promised me you wouldn't leave me."

"Promises were made to be broken." Itachi said as he stepped out of the shadows. "I won't make any promises but I can guarantee you that I will protect you with my life…come with me." Midori stared at him for a moment, considering her options; there were none. Slowly she reached out to him but stopped short when something flashed in her mind.

_Deidara stuck a spider bomb on Hidan's back when he wasn't looking and smiled when it went off. _

"_Deidara, I'm going to fucking kill you. Do you know how much that shit hurts." He screamed as he stood up and turned to the paled blonde. _

Midori smiled and retracted her hand.

"You almost had me." She said as she pulled a kunai out of the fake Hidan and turned back to Itachi. "Game over." Midori smiled more then stabbed herself in the leg. And everything was back to normal, save the magical kunai sticking out of her right thigh.

Everyone stared at her. What the hell was going on? One second she was standing there, cool as a cucumber, and the next, a kunai came out of nowhere and she stabbed herself with it. What gives?

"You've done well." Itachi said as he turned away from her. The collective group stared at them…then Midori was moving. She charged Itachi full throttle, spinning him around and stabbing him in the shoulder with the kunai.

"I refuse to heal you…and if you do that again, I will kill you." She spat then turned and ran over to Hidan, tackling him to the ground and hugging him fiercely.

Pein crossed his arms and smirked. "You pass, now let's get something to eat." He said, walking away from the group and heading back to base.

**A/N: **There you go! Sorry it took me so long to get this going…I'm on vacation at the moment.  Anyway, next chapter you'll get to see the team working in the shadows. P.S. there was a little hint in this chapter…I hope you caught it. Don't miss "Free Time." See you guys in the next chapter. R & R would be appreciated.


	10. Chapter 10

Free Time

Shikamaru and Neji stalked around the building, using the shadows to move freely and silently through the halls.

"His office is the last door in the hall, to the right." Akira said over the headset.

"Rodger that." Shikamaru replied quietly and nodded to Neji. Both men moved farther down the hall and stopped at the required door. Neji took a hold of the knob and turned it slightly; it was unlocked. Shikamaru didn't sense anyone in the room and nodded again. Neji slipped in first, Shikamaru followed suit and quietly closed the door.

"We're in." Neji spoke and glanced around the room.

"I'm by the window." Sakura said into her headset and looked around. "You know, for a Daimyo…his security is pretty shoddy." She said as the window opened.

"I've noticed that too, but we have a mission to carry out." Shikamaru said as he hoisted her into the room. "Alright, you know what you're looking for. Neji, stand guard, I'll help Sakura with the files."

"Yes sir." Neji and Sakura said as they moved around the room.

"I think I hit the jackpot." Sakura said as she hefted a large stack of papers and scanned the first few. "Yeah, this is it." She whispered, turning towards the window.

"We're on our way back. Sakura found what we needed." Shikamaru said into his headset.

"Very good, I'm awaiting your arrival." Akira said and turned away from his desk. Within minutes, the team had returned and Temari closed the window after them. She had been standing guard while the rest went into the Daimyo's office.

"Alright, we'll each take a small stack and sift through them. Even though this all too troublesome…we have to find out all we can to help Midori-sama." Shikamaru informed as the group sat down around the coffee table and grabbed a small stack.

Unbeknownst to the team, a figure stood outside the window. His mission was to watch the Daimyo but he couldn't pass up on the juice morsels the group had yet to discover for him.

~xxx~

Midori and Hidan sat in their room, idly talking about anything that sprang to mind.

"I have an idea!" Hidan exclaimed as he hopped off the bed and grabbed his cloak.

"Ouch!" Midori cried as Hidan tossed her back on the bed when she tried to get up.

"You stay here, I'll be right back." He smirked. Midori couldn't tell if she was going to like his idea or not, but she sat there all the same. When he returned, Hidan brought with him a tray, of what Midori didn't know.

He placed the tray on the nightstand and proceeded to draw the Jashin circle on the floor with his blood. Midori watched with interest as Hidan completed the circle and turned to her.

"Come, you're going to help me with my ritual." He said as he held out his hand to her. She took it without hesitation and was pulled to her feet as they stood in the center of the circle. Hidan walked over and grabbed the tray and set it on the flood then sat down. He patted the spot in front of him, motioning for Midori to kneel.

"So, what do you want me to do?" she asked, eyeing the covered tray to her right. Hidan pulled the red cloth off the tray to reveal an assortment of daggers.

"You, my dear, are going to cause as much pain as possible. The more pain you inflict, the stronger my connection to Jashin-sama will become." He said as he grabbed a dagger and handed it to her. "He may even appear this time." Hidan smiled as Midori took the dagger with both hands.

"Then start chanting. We wouldn't want to keep Lord Jashin waiting, would we?" she said as she scooped up his hand and brought the dagger up over her head. "Is there anything I need to say before I stab you?" Midori asked as she looked Hidan in the eyes.

He grinned at her. "'Hear my prayers, Jashin-sama'." He said as he closed his eyes and began to chant in incoherent mumbles. Midori nodded and tightened her grip on the dagger.

"Hear my prayers, Jashin-sama." She spoke clearly then brought the dagger down quickly, stabbing his flesh and twisting the blade to cause the maximum amount of pain possible. She picked up another dagger and repeated the process, this time she stabbed him in his thigh. Hidan winced but never broke his chant.

Now, she was on the seventh and final dagger; one in each of his legs, his right hand, another in his abdomen, and one in each shoulder blade. Each of which caused a serious amount of pain. The last one she saved of his chest. With a harsh thrust and twist, the last dagger was embedded in his sternum.

Hidan began to shake; his chanting becoming quieter with every passing second. Midori wasn't afraid though. She had watched him long enough to know that this was normal. Well, it was normal for Akatsuki standers. Suddenly, Midori found herself engulfed by a white light. She closed her eyes to shield them against the brightness.

"Open your eyes my dear." A smooth, baritone voice whispered into her ear.

Midori slowly opened her eyes and gasped. She bowed politely to the tall, white-haired man towering over her. "It's an honor to meet you Jashin-sama."

~xxx~

Sakura and Temari sat by the fireplace, flipping through the documents they had stolen from the Daimyo's office. Neji and Shikamaru took the love seat and foot stool while Akira sat at his desk. Nothing so far and it didn't seem like they were going to find anything.

Most of the papers seemed to deal with recent treaties the Daimyo put in place to protect his family but a lot of them seemed one-sided.

"Jeez, some of this stuff is just financial diplomacy. I don't see anything that deals with Midori at all." Temari growled as she flipped through another page.

"As troublesome at it is we have to keep…" Shikamaru cut himself off as his eyes caught Midori's name. He read a little more and looked up at Akira.

"What is it?" Akira asked as he stood.

"Midori's mother was a native to the Mist village and was married to the Mizukage before she came here. It says here that the Mizukage was assassinated a month before she came to the fire country." Shikamaru turned his eyes back to the document and frowned.

"When's Midori's birthday?" Sakura asked from the other side of the room.

"Um…September 27th. What does that have to do with the situation?" Akira asked as he tossed another piece of paper aside.

"What was the date of the assassination?" she asked as she stood and walked over to Shikamaru.

"Let me see…" he paused as he scanned the document. "He was assassinated on February 5th, the year of Midori's birth." Sakura stiffened. As the apprentice of the Hokage, Sakura knew about diplomatic immunity…this did not look good for Midori.

"We have a big problem." Sakura whispered as she leaned against Akira's desk.

"Whatever do you mean?" Akira ventured as he stood from his desk and moved around to sit next to Neji.

"The title of Mizukage is an inherited title, like the Kazikage of Suna. Midori is the only child of the Mizukage…with that title, Lord Takeda can force Midori to do as he sees fit. All shinobi of the Mist village would be under his control." Sakura said with a frown.

Akira bowed his head; the implications of the Daimyo's actions finally hitting him like a ton of bricks.

"So, our marriage was set up to get her back into the water country without implying his true intentions." He said, his voice was weak…almost guilty. Suddenly, Akira's head shot up. "He was planning on starting a war to get rid of the Leaf village. That way he could control all of the fire country and still have connections to the Mist."

It all became clear to them; even the dark figure outside the window knew the magnitude of the situation.

"Wait, what about the Akatsuki? What happens if the Daimyo doesn't pay his half?" Temari asked the group. "What about the bounty on her head?"

"I believe I have the answer for that question." Neji said, holding a yellowing sheet of paper. The group turned to him and waited for the answer.

The dark figure's yellow eyes turned to the Hyuuga genius. _'Tell me boy. This is going to make a juicy report for Leader-sama.' _He thought as he stepped closer to the window.

"The bounty is in place to start the war. He planed to kill her to trick the Mist village into to going to war with us." The room went silent.

~xxx~

Jashin smiled down at her. She was not his follower yet she still treated him with the utmost respect. A shiny glint caught his eye as bent down to look her in the eyes. Around her neck was the Jashin trademark pendent.

"So…it seems that Hidan has chosen you." The almighty Jashin smiled as he patted her head. Midori looked up at him and smiled.

"It's true my lord…we love each other very much." She answered with a tiny smile. Midori looked around for a moment and found the Hidan wasn't there.

"Don't worry, he'll join us soon. I wanted to speak to you first." Jashin said as he sat in a chair the appeared out of thin air. "Please, have a seat. The floor doesn't suit you." He waved his hand at his side and another chair appeared.

"What is it that you wish to talk about, my lord?" Midori asked after she was seated.

"Hidan speaks so highly of you in his prayers to me. He seeks to make you immortal as well. Did you know that?" Jashin asked as he crossed his legs.

"No, I was not aware of his intentions." She answered honestly.

"Does it bother you to know that you will get old and die while Hidan will stay forever young as long as he worships me?" the deity asked as he leaned towards her.

Midori swallowed the lump in her throat. "I try not to think about it, it's too sad to give it much thought."

"What would you say if I were to give you immortality?" he asked as he watched her closely.

"At what price?" she shot back with a glare. Jashin chuckled at her then patted her arm.

"All I ask is that you stay with Hidan. He's more focused than he used to be." Was his simple reply, Midori was taken aback by his words. She stared at him in disbelief.

"Are you sure that's all you want? I'm willing to do whatever you ask…as long as it means I can be with Hidan." She said as she leaned towards the almighty deity.

"No, that's all I require from you." Jashin-sama with a grin, Midori couldn't help but notice certain similarities between the deity and her lover (and now immortal life partner).

"So, how does this work? I'm not too knowledgeable about immortality." Midori said as she fixed her gaze to the bright white ground under her feet. Jashin stood and moved to stand behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulders.

"You will only be immortal as long as you ware the pendent…until you are officially anointed as a priestess. Just hold still, this will only take a minute."

"You summoned me, Jashin-sama?" Hidan said as he appeared before them, kneeling in front of Midori's chair.

"Ah, my faithful servant, bare witness for this is my gift to you for serving my will to its fullest." Jashin practically purred as his hands combed through Midori's hair.

Jashin's hands started to glow as he swept them over her head and shoulders. The light transferred from his hands to her body, a brilliant blue glow before turning red and collecting around the pendent. The light dissipated a moment later and Jashin stepped away, as if to admire his handy-work.

"Praise Jashin," Hidan exclaimed as he bowed to his master.

~xxx~

"Please tell me you're kidding." Akira said as he looked at Neji.

Neji shook his head and handed Akira his findings. "Look for yourself. He has it carefully planned out. Every detail is listed in these documents."

Akira eagerly looked over the papers with a growing frown. "So, all of this was a ruse to get his hands on Mist shinobi?" he sighed. "Midori's kidnapping just delayed the inevitable."

"Actually," Shikamaru started and he cupped his chin in his hand. "They may have just saved her life. If Lord Takeda doesn't pay, they'll keep her."

"No, they won't. The orange-haired man said if we didn't pay they will kill her." Akira snapped; the situation was just too much for him as he crumpled the paper in his hands.

The wheels in Shikamaru's head began to spin, churning and working to formulate a plan of action. A heavy sigh left his lips; he had nothing.

"We'll have to wait until the money has been delivered. We'll watch the exchange and regroup when we return."

**A/N: **Sorry, this one is a little short. Yosh! In the next chapter, the gloves are off as the day finally comes. Would you like a small preview? I knew you would.

(Pre) Midori stood before Lord Takeda and Akira, dressed in her kimono. Little did they know she had no intention of going back…nor could she; not with what Itachi had done to her and the recent information they'd received.

"Hidan, cut this damn obi, I don't have the time to untie it." She spat as she glared daggers at her 'father'.

Dun, dun, dunn… there you go. Just wait and see. Don't miss the final chapter "Freedom".


	11. Chapter 11

Freedom

(**A/N: **I would like to take this time to thank all of you for reading this story and sticking with it through the bitter end.)

Special thanks to cheeky half-demon {this chapter is dedicated to you}, The Norwegian Dragon, Okinawa Angel, AkatsukiFTW, homuncuhottie, lenna10123 and my other reviewers. Again, I thank you for your support. Though this may be the end of the story, I assure you that this is not the end for me.

There will be more…I promise.

And now, on with the show!!

[KB]

~xxx~

Zetsu walked purposefully into Pein's office, prepared to deliver his findings. It had been a shock for him and he was certain Pein would not be happy. He knew his leader well and the fact that Midori had no idea was churning in Zetsu's mind uncomfortably.

There he stood, in front of Leader-sama, unable to breath for a moment. Zetsu heaved a sigh then stood a little taller.

"The information I have, in regard to Lord Takeda, is quite disturbing. There are some more…sensitive aspects that Lady Midori should be present for." He said as he looked Pein in the eyes. For a moment, Pein didn't say anything. Then he turned to Konan.

"Bring her here, if she must know…I will not have the information repeated." Pein said as he crossed his arms over his broad chest. While Konan was gone, Pein's eyes never left the door, waiting for her return.

~xxx~

Midori woke up to the sound of a soft knock on the door. It was late; midnight to be exact and Konan was asking for her. Slowly, Midori removed herself from Hidan's warm embrace, grabbed his cloak and wrapped herself in it as she stumbled to the door.

"What can I do for you Konan?" she asked while trying to keep her naked body covered.

"Leader-sama wants to see you…it's urgent." Konan said point blank, leaving no room for argument.

"Let me get dressed." Midori's voice had taken a serious tone upon seeing Konan's worried eyes. Not caring if she woke her lover, Midori turned on the lights and grabbed her clothes. She dressed quickly and threw her hair up in a messy bun as she strode over to the bed, leaving a chaste kiss on his cheek. Moving as if her life depended on it, Midori ran for the door and turned off the lights before entering the hallway where Konan waited.

"That was quick." She commented, leading Midori down the hall at a brisk pace.

"Well, you said it was urgent. I wouldn't want to keep Leader-sama waiting." Midori said as they rounded the corner.

~xxx~

Pein heard the rushed footsteps of both women as then practically ran towards his office. The door thrust open just seconds later. Konan and Midori strode in and bowed to him.

"Sit down, this may take a while." Pein said as Zetsu closed the door. Once they were settled, Pein looked to his plant-like subordinate and motioned for him to come forward. "So spill it, tell us what you've found." Zetsu proceeded to tell them everything, in full detail, even his thoughts as he watched their shocked gazes shift between them and back.

Midori was so surprised that she was speechless for a good long while. She leaned back in her chair and sighed. There wasn't anything she could do…at least not in her current situation. Just that evening she had become immortal and now she finds out her 'father' had set up this elaborate charade to start a war.

'_What the fuck?' _she thought, crossing her arms. "What a waste, it's not like I can die now. He can't touch me…a war would be pointless." Midori pondered aloud. Pein turned to her, a brow raised in suspicion.

"What did Hidan do?" he asked as he looked down at her.

"Not Hidan, Jashin-sama made me immortal as a gift for Hidan's services." Midori answered, looking at the pendent around her neck. "It's temporary though, as long as I ware this necklace, I'm immortal until I'm anointed as a priestess." Pein nodded, the situation didn't sound as bad now.

"We'll go through with the exchange in two days. Tomorrow, tell Hidan to anoint you as a Jashinist. If something does go wrong…at least we know we won't lose our medic." He said as he turned back to Zetsu. "First thing tomorrow, tell Kakuzu to prepare for the worst. We'll have to keep an eye out for the leaf shinobi while we collect the money. Then go back to the Daimyo's home and watch him like a hawk. Report back if you see anything suspicious."

The rest of the night moved in a blur. Midori spoke with Pein for most of the night, asking if she, herself, should contact the new Mizukage. But he insisted that he would handle it and finally convinced her to go back to bed.

~xxx~

The compound was abuzz with activity. Lord Takeda commanded all of his men to prepare for war as the Leaf shinobi and Zetsu watched from the shadows.

"This is getting a little out of hand." Zetsu commented as he watched the Daimyo's best warriors prepare for battle. "Just what on earth does he thinks he's doing?" he spat. Then he left; making his way back to base to report to Leader-sama.

Low and behold, Leader-sama was not pleased by the news. And the fact that the Leaf ninja were nowhere to be seen just made things worse. Pein heaved a sigh as he leaned back on his desk.

"This does pose a problem…" he said as he turned his head. "Deliver this to the Mist village. Tell them that if they should receive any word from the fire daimyo to disregard it; their Kage's wellbeing is at stake."

"Yes Leader-sama." Zetsu bowed and walked out of his office.

"Well, the anointment is about to begin…I guess I should watch." Pein said to the lifeless walls of his office.

~xxx~

Midori was kneeling in the middle of the Jashin circle which she painted with her own blood. The crimson color was a stark contrast to the wood floors. Midori wasn't scared as much as she was nervous but knowing the Hidan was there made it tolerable. Pein had arrived just a minute before and stood in the corner. The other members were there as well, minus Zetsu who was currently off in the Mist village.

"We shall begin." Hidan said as he stepped up to the circle. He was dressed in long black robes with the Jashin symbol painted in red on the back. "Are you ready?" he whispered, too quite for the other members to hear. Midori nodded and bowed her head.

"May Jashin-sama bless thee." She said after a short pause. Hidan smiled softly and placed a hand on her head.

"I anoint this humble servant in the name of Jashin," he said, in his free hand a dagger glinted maliciously in the dim light. "In his name you shall rise as his priestess." His hand moved from her head as her hand came up and took his. Midori rose to her feet, looking into his eyes. There was no emotion in their gaze as their eyes made contact; this was strictly business. "I give you this blade and with it you shall be immortal." Midori took the dagger in both hands as Hidan stepped away.

"Hear my prayers Jashin-sama." She spoke clearly and raised the blade above her head. With a powerful thrust, the dagger pierced her heart and Midori fell backwards; dying a mortal's death.

She lay there gasping for air until her heat stopped beating. Hidan began to chant something as a red light spread around her body, all of which came from the pendent around her neck. Within minutes, she was breathing again, her eyes opening to reveal red orbs that slowly faded back to brown.

"Praise Jashin," she whispered then lifted her hand and pulled the dagger out. Midori sat up moments later and looked at the shocked faces of the assembled group.

"I'll never doubt again." Kakuzu spoke as he took a step towards her.

"Why does everyone look so scared? I know I technically just died…but seriously, why the shocked faces?" she asked as Hidan helped her to stand.

"It's a little weird to watch someone kill themselves then just pop back up like nothing happened." Sasori said and got an affirming nod from Deidara. Kisame looked like he was going to be sick and Itachi looked just as impassive as ever. Tobi, on the other hand, was hopping up and down with joy. Pein smirked while Konan let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding.

Midori just shrugged it off and looked down at herself. There wasn't a scare where the blade had pierced her flesh that miraculously healed itself.

"Well now, that's convenient." She said as her fingers traced the hole in her shirt.

"Alright people, we leave early tomorrow to meet the Daimyo. Do whatever you wish just don't get carried away." Pein said then left the room.

"Who wants to spar with me?" Midori asked as the group headed out of the room and headed for the dinning room. Kisame took the challenge after they ate.

~xxx~

Shikamaru and Sakura waited inside the rice silo while Neji and Temari positioned themselves outside, hidden among the foliage of the forest. Midori was carried halfway there to avoid suspicion by Kakuzu…whether she liked it or not. Pein had noted their presence but tossed the information to the back of his mind.

Akira and Kamui arrived on time, nothing seemed out of place. Midori was quite the actress, faking tears of relief and joy as she hugged Akira and Kamui.

"Let's get this over with." Kamui said as he set a large briefcase on the table, Akira did the same. Pein nodded.

"Kakuzu, take the money…and make sure it's all there." He commanded as he tossed Midori unceremoniously of his shoulder. "Remember, _all _of the money must be counted before we can return her." Then they were gone, vanishing in a cloud of smoke.

"Well, that was quick." Neji remarked, not being able to see which way they went, even with his Byakugan activated.

"She looked fine to me, just a little shaken but fine nonetheless." Sakura whispered into her headset.

"We'll head back to the palace and come up with a plan of action. If you didn't notice, we were spotted." Shikamaru said as he glanced down to see Akira and Kamui stepping into the carriage. "That orange haired guy looked right at me."

~xxx~

"Are you sure you counted correctly?" Pein asked. Well now, this wasn't good. Kakuzu and Midori looked at each other and back to Pein. They had spent the last seven hours counting the money and the news wasn't sitting well with Pein.

"Yes Leader-sama. We've even counted both cases twice and Lord Takeda's case was five million short both times." Kakuzu answered with a bow.

"Midori, be ready to prove your worth, we're going to wipe him off the face of the earth." Pein snapped as he stood. Midori bowed in response.

"Absolutely, Leader-sama." She smirked. Midori was definitely going to put her new skills and abilities to the test, and with the recent news from the Mist village…there was going to be more than enough carnage to go around.

The charade was going to end in the biggest, bloodiest massacre the shinobi world has ever seen, with Midori at the epicenter. It was all Kamui's fault, really. Had he not assassinated the fourth Mizukage and taken his wife, none of this would have happened. But, somehow, Midori was thankful.

'_Hidan,' _she thought with a smile. _'I have Hidan thanks to Kamui. But was this fiasco necessary?' _Midori shrugged as she walked back to her room she shared with her beloved sadist.

"So, what's going to happen now?" Hidan asked when Midori plopped down on the bed. Midori grinned as she lay back on the bed, head resting on his lap.

"Since Kamui decided to short-change Leader-sama, we get to annihilate him and his forces."

"Praise Jashin-sama," Hidan spoke as he closed his eyes. "Soon, my lord, we will have many sacrifices in your name."

~xxx~

Hidan set her down in the middle of the clearing. Midori was dressed in her kimono but under that was her Akatsuki attire. Konan had Midori's rode tucked under her arm as she and Tobi stood behind Sasori and Deidara. Zetsu was somewhere underground, waiting for the opportunity to strike. Itachi and Kisame stood a few yards away, hiding their chakra as Pein, Hidan and Midori stood before the daimyo and the younger master.

"We seem to be at an impasse." Pein smirked, his eyes traveling from Kamui to Akira.

"What are you talking about?" Kamui sneered and took a step forward. "Give me my daughter!"

"Like she was your daughter to begin with, fucking bastard." Hidan mumbled under his breath. Midori would have said something had she not been so angry herself.

'_All of this is his fault! My mother and my father are gone because of him!' _her mind snapped as Kamui continued to walk towards her.

"I paid you what you wanted and now you're going back on your word? Preposterous…! Not that I expected much from a bunch of criminals." Kamui glared daggers.

"You will maintain your distance sir." Midori's voice was calm and collected despite the raging emotions hidden within her brown gaze. Kamui took a step back, gaze dark, mouth set in a grim line.

"So…you found out. Bid deal, it's not like you can do anything about it."

Midori crossed her arms.

"No…but _we _intend to do something about it." Pein smirked; his haunting tone made Kamui cringe slightly. Suddenly all of the Akatsuki members were in the clearing, minus Zetsu who was still laying in wait.

"Akira… I suggest you leave. I know you had nothing to do with this. Please go, and take the Leaf shinobi with you." Midori said as she looked down at her feet. Said ninjas appeared next to Akira, waiting for their orders.

"I can't leave you hear… even if you and I cannot marry. Midori please, come with me." He pleaded reaching out his hand to her.

"I can't…" she trailed off, turning her attention back to the daimyo. "The money wasn't paid in full." Everyone went silent.

"What are you talking about? We paid them… what's the meaning of this?" Akira couldn't understand what was going on.

"Daimyo-sama was five million short on his payment." Pein answered with a smirk. "We cannot return her to your side. Now you must suffer the consequences of defying our arrangement."

Midori stood their, dressed in a kimono. She couldn't go back to the life she once knew; not with what Itachi had done to her and now the money hadn't been paid in full. Midori glared daggers at her 'father', eyes narrowing to slits.

"Hidan, cut this damn obi, I don't have time to untie it." Hidan grinned like a school boy as his scythe swung around and caught the fabric around her waist. With a light tug, the blade sliced through said garment and it tumbled to the ground below. Her kimono fluttered open revealing the Akatsuki uniform.

Midori let the silk fabric fall to the ground as Konan stepped forward and handed her the traditional black and red cloak. Everyone on the other side of the clearing stared in a stunned silence as Midori slipped the cloak over her shoulders and clipped a kunai pouch to her left thigh.

Suddenly, there were Mist shinobi standing behind the Akatsuki, all dropping to one knee before their Kage.

"As Mizukage," Midori started, looking at the Leaf shinobi. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave. I will honor the agreement my predecessor instilled with the Hokage. All I ask is that you take Akira with you."

"As you wish Mizukage-sama," Shikamaru said with a bow. He then turned to the team and nodded. Shikamaru caught the doubtful looks in their eyes and shrugged. "We have to go, we're under orders. And since the daimyo didn't pay, there's nothing we can do."

A kunai shot out of the trees and hit it's target; Midori's heart. There was a long pause before Midori raised her hand and ripped out the offending weapon.

"Whoever threw that will pay… there's a hole in my shirt now." She snared and tossed the weapon back in the direction form whence it came. There was a loud cry then a soft thump. "I will say this once again; leave now and take Akira with you."

And the battle was on.

Kamui's men launched a full scale attack on the Mist ninjas as the Akatsuki spread out to join the fight. The 'Zombie Twins', –as Kisame called them- Hidan and Kakuzu moved in front of Midori as she disappeared into the ground. She had been told to hang back, just in case someone got hurt. Midori appeared in a tree not too far away with Zetsu by her side.

"We have the best seat in the house. **To watch them all burn.**" Both sides commented from his spot just behind her. Midori leaned against the tree sulking.

"I want to help." She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. Just then, they spotted ten of the daimyo's men coming up behind Konan. She either didn't see them or wasn't worried about them but Midori wasn't about to let them get the drop on Konan. Midori made a string of complicated hand sings in a flash and a huge fireball engulfed the men before they could make their move. Konan waved an arm in the air, signaling her thanks as she moved forward.

"I guess we should split up, **in case they try that again.**" Then they were gone, Midori heading toward Itachi and Kisame and Zetsu heading for Sasori and Deidara.

~xxx~

Shikamaru found himself in a bit of a pickle; they were surrounded by the daimyo's men, all of whom were ready to pounce on the team at a moments notice.

"Stand down; we're in a treaty with the daimyo and the Mist village. Your interference with our leaving will only strain our partnership."

"This is war," one of the men commented, "all bets are off." Right as the man moved forward, a kunai lodged in his throat, killing him instantly.

"You'd better get a move on and inform Hokage-sama that ANBU will be necessary." Midori said as she landed next to him.

"What happened to you? This isn't the Midori I know and love." Akira asked as he stepped toward her. Midori heaved a sigh.

"I know you had nothing to do with this but I can't go back… not after what's happened." She whispered with sad eyes. "Akira, I do love you but I can't be with you."

"Then this is goodbye… for good?" he whispered back. Midori nodded and stepped toward his. Wrapping her arms around his waist, Midori looked him in the eyes.

"I love you Akira. Goodbye my friend." Then she kissed his cheek.

"Goodbye dearest. Until we meet again," a tear slipped down his cheek as he places his forehead against hers.

"Go on and get out of here. It'll be harder to fight if I have to keep looking over my shoulder." She stepped out of his embrace and turned away from them. "Tell Tsunade-sama everything you saw here. She needs to know everything you know." Then she was gone, bounding into the trees towards her original destination.

~xxx~

"This is rather annoying." Itachi commented as he dispatched another enemy. "They're not even worth my time." He stood in the middle of the clearing with Kisame who had just halved another man.

"It's good exercise." Kisame spat with a grin. A kunai whizzed passed their faces and imbedded itself in the chest of a man who had been sneaking up on them.

"You missed one." A voice called from above.

"Aren't you supposed to be hiding with Zetsu?" Itachi asked dryly.

Midori landed in the clearing with a smirk. "Some guys tried to get the jump on Konan, so we decided to step in." Pein landed next to her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Deidara needs you, then go help Hidan and Kakuzu… they're in the middle of the battle. Your _gift _will be of more use there."

Midori nodded and leapt away from the three men.

"So, are we going to keep her or are we going to send her back to Mist?" Kisame asked bringing Samehada up and resting it on his shoulder.

"We'll talk about that once we get back to base."

~xxx~

Kamui dodged Hidan's attack only to meet Kakuzu's fist. He as a persistent bastard if they ever saw one and a quick one at that, but luck was on their side; Hidan could feel Midori's chakra closing in on their location. Kamui let out a battle cry and ran towards Hidan, aiming to run him through with his katana. There was a flash of black and red in front of Hidan.

His eyes widened when he saw long brown hair fluttering in the breeze before him.

"Nice of you to drop in," Kakuzu chuckled gruffly as he moved behind Kamui.

"Yeah," she grunted. "I figured I'd stop by and give you guys a soldier pill, but I see it's not needed."

"Now, why would you go and do a thing like that?" Hidan asked from behind.

"I thought it'd be fun." She gasped, pulling at the sword in her abdomen.

"Y-you should be dead." Kamui stammered taking a few steps back until he realized that there was someone behind him.

"I assure you Kamui, Jashin-sama will have your blood." She gasped again as the last bit of metal exited her body. Blood ran down her legs, pooling in her sandals as her feet moved to form the Jashin circle. Hidan was pleased to see her already working on the plan he had been thinking about for the last few minutes.

Hidan's scythe shot out at Kamui and caught in his shoulder. He let out a strangled cry as the blades cut into his skin, blood spurting into the air. The scythe jerked out of the wound and returned to Hidan's side.

"Would you like the honors my dear or should I do it?" he asked as Midori dropped the katana on the ground. She turned to face him and smiled.

"Together." She said placing a hand on his chest. Hidan grinned down at her and brought the blades up to his lips. He licked one blade with a long sweep of his tongue then grabbed the back of Midori's neck, bringing her closer to him. His tongue invaded her mouth as they kissed deeply. Their skin began to change color, turning to ebony black with skeletal white markings along their bodies.

"What kind of sorcery is this?" Kamui shouted watching the rather disgusting display before him.

"The kind of your impending doom," Kakuzu commented dryly as he sat down on a bolder. He was no longer needed at this point.

"Let's get this over with, Leader-sama is waiting." Midori spoke as she wrapped her arms around Hidan and leaned against him. Hidan pulled out a long, retractable spike out from his cloak and brought his lips to her ear.

"I have to admit, you look damn sexy like this." He chuckled. Midori laughed into his neck, nuzzling against his skin.

"Accept this offering _we _give to you, Jashin-sama." She whispered as her lips made contact with his neck. Hidan shivered at the contact and brought his arm up then drove the spike through Midori and into himself.

Kamui clutched his chest, letting out a cry of agony before falling to his knees. He fell over dead a few seconds later.

The fighting stopped after that. Without their leader, the daimyo's men retreated and the Mist shinobi shouted their victory.

~xxx~

Back at base, Pein had a decision to make. Where would he put Midori? Hidan and Kakuzu worked well together. Hell, the 'Zombie Trio' worked so well together, he was considering keeping it that way… but they worked in pairs not groups of three.

Midori was resting while the other Akatsuki members were in Leader's office, discussing that very issue.

"I don't mind having her as a partner." Zetsu commented offhandedly. Truth be told, this was the only time he had _ever _vouched for a partner. Pein nodded at the request.

"Any objections?" he asked, looking to Hidan directly. No one said a word. "Then it's settled. She will stay with Hidan and will be partnered with Zetsu."

~xxx~

_One year later_

A lot of things had happened in the time span since the battle with the daimyo. Itachi had been killed during his battle against his brother. Midori had taken his place as partner for Kisame, making room for Tobi to be partnered with Zetsu. Midori and Zetsu had been able to capture the eight-tailed biju on their own, proving her worth just two months after becoming a full member.

She and Hidan had stepped their relationship up to the next level in a traditional, yet secret, ceremony only a month ago. Things were looking up despite loosing Itachi at a crucial time. They were getting closer to their ultimate goal and the final assault on Konoha would have proved the sheer strength of the Akatsuki… had the plan not fallen apart at the seams.

Something had gone terribly wrong… Naruto had returned before his expected time. Oh, things were going according to plan; Tsunade was unable to defend herself after she used a jutsu to keep her shinobi alive… after Pein had reduced it to rubble. Midori was there, she saw it all. But Konan had specifically told Midori to not get involved. So, she waited in the shadows.

That, of course, had been their biggest mistake. It was Pein's final assault and Naruto had been able stop it somehow. And all Midori could do was watch him fall. Konan went on a rampage after that, telling Midori to go back to base and assume command until she returned. But she never did come back.

Akatsuki disbanded after that. Almost everyone going their separate ways; of course Hidan, Kakuzu and Midori stuck together, never knowing whatever came of the other surviving members. But that didn't concern them anymore.

Ultimately, Jashin-sama had blessed the immortal couple with a child, a truly immortal child just after the fall of the greatest criminal organization to walk the ninja world, which had changed Kakuzu's view on their religion. Though immortals had to sacrifice that part of them selves, here was a white-haired, brown-eyed child that would, one day, follow in his parents' footsteps. But that my friends, is another story altogether.


End file.
